Leia
by Xayden
Summary: A quirky genjutsu user and a so-called monster learn how to love each other. (Gaara x Male!OC) (Hinted Various Male!Ocs x Male Canon characters)
1. Chapter 1

Sinking.

He was sinking beneath the depths of his sanity, hand reaching out in the hopes that anyone would reach out to grasp onto it, pulling me from the black depths that seemed so interested in pulling him to the bottom of wherever it was that he was lost within. Bright blues would gaze above him with a foggy grasp on what was to be his reality, body feeling so heavy despite the ease that he was floating down further and further away from the surface.

"-i"

Such a pretty voice.

It was such a shame that it was so far away.

"-I!"

On second thought..maybe it was closer than he thought.

A soft sigh would escape the Saito heir before his eyes would close, mind overpowering the illusion and bringing him back to the grasp of reality as those bright blues would slowly open, a small smirk forming across those pale lips as those cat-like blues danced with a mischievous light as they took in the form of his cute little teammate. Yuna Tsukino was easily someone who was more than capable of catching someone's eye with that blue hair and those bright blue eyes along with those very pretty features, it was almost a given that she would grow up a to be a very stunning kunoichi especially when one took into consideration that she had a very gentle and patient demeanor along with an affinity for medical ninjutsu.

She was going to make some lucky bastard very happy one day.

"Now, now Yuna. I was having a very nice dream and you had to go and wake me up."

That voice was silky and smooth, as he purred softly up at the kunoichi, gifting her a smile that was akin to a cat who finally managed to eat the prized canary. A soft groan would leave him as he would stretch and managed to pop his back after having stood up before his gaze would fall upon the blue-haired kunoichi who leaned against the pillar, that smile widening as he would all but skip to her side, cool hand lifting to gently lift the girl's chin so those eyes would meet his own as his hand moved to cage her in as he would lean down, smiling when he saw those eyes widening and the slightest bit of color forming on those cheeks.

She was too cute.

"I think I deserve a little present from you for being such a good sport and waking up when you called for me, don't you?"

Closer and closer he leaned in, smile widening as he could almost feel those pretty lips against his own before he would feel the familiar presence of the famed fun killer, a sigh leaving him as he counted down the seconds before he knew that he would be sent flying by the nightmare that was their third teammate.

Three.

Two.

One.

It was a matter of seconds before the long-haired male would find himself laying on the ground. Dazed blues would blink curiously up at the sky as he tried to recall just what had happened and how he had ended up on the ground when he had just been by Yuna's side only seconds before, pieces clicking into place a moment later as his gaze would fall upon the glaring third member of Team One and it all came falling back into place.

The nerve of that hard-headed Akio!

The Saito heir would manage to calm his growing anger as he sat up, breathing heavily before those cat-like blues would turn upon their glaring teammate as a low hiss would leave the long-haired male.

"Surely you do know that it is not necessary for you to throw me each and every time you see me with our teammate, Akio. Yuna is more than capable of telling me if she is uncomfortable. Perhaps you should use that brain of yours before I decide to lock you into a genjutsu so powerful that you will not be able to find your way out of it for the next three months!"

"I would like to see you try you-"

"Ah- Please do not fight you two. Now is most certainly not the time or place. Ryosuke-sensei will be here soon and the last thing we need is for him to catch you two fighting like a bunch of-"

"Children. Children. I thought we had all grown too close for a bunch of silly arguments. I'm pretty sure I told the three of you that I needed you all to be on your best behavior. That means no fighting, Yuuki or Akio! The Hokage is trusting us to accompany a squad of genin fresh from the academy and you all need to be on your best behavior."

The three genins in question would turn to fall upon the form of their sensei, each having a different reaction to his sudden arrival as the Ninjutsu user Akio would simply look away as he huffed silently in protest, the young woman on their team would hang onto every word that the older man said before looking at the other members of her team with a sheepish smile while Yuuki would easily have the most memorable reaction out of the three.

He simply smirked.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with who we're going to be teaming up with, would it sensei? I could have sworn I heard something about Team Seven getting a higher ranked mission after their version of Akio complained to the Hokage himself about how boring the missions are and all of this other juicy gossip."

"That would certainly explain why Ryosuke-sensei is on edge. Isn't Hatake-sensei the Jonin for that team?"

"Everyone in the village has talked about how long he's been pining after Hatake. Maybe this is the chance he needs in order for him to-"

"I don't know where any of you heard any of this, but I'm going to be kind and give you a chance to run before I come after all of you. Make fun of my issues, will you? Let's see how well all of you do once you're busy dodging whatever I feel like throwing at you."

For a moment the three would stand there, staring at the older man as if they were contemplating just how serious he was before that familiar dangerous glint in his eyes paired with the dark smile was enough to send the three running away as though the hounds of hell were on their heels, Yuuki being the only one who was clever enough to duck and hide while subjecting a few passersby with a few minor genjutsu that would send his sensei in a circle a few times before he would manage to catch on and by then it would have been safe for him to change locations.

He was not going to be an easy target, that was for damn sure.


	2. Chapter 2

While Akio had been the first to fall to his sensei's wrath, Yuuki had not lasted as long as he had hoped and had been the next one to been found by Ryosuke. As it turned out, the older man really did not appreciate his comments about wanting them to behave solely because of the fact that Kakashi Hatake happened to be the sensei for Team Seven and definitely did not appreciate the teasing that despite the fact that he had been pining for the silver-haired man since their childhood, he had still not managed to win him over.

He guessed that some wounds should be left unopened.

With that theory in mind and the two of them left with painful injuries as the three of them set off to find the missing third member of their team. It was clear to the two boys at this point that Ryosuke was not interested in punishing Yuna as harshly as he had the two of them.

She had done nothing wrong other than making an innocent comment after all.  
They would manage to find her after the better part of an hour waiting at their original meeting place where she was left guarding all of their supplies. Yuuki would shake his head at the sight before sighing softly as their sensei would merely greet the girl cheerfully as though nothing had happened at all before sweetly asking her to heal the boy's wounds.

'It's become very clear just who is sensei's favorite on our team.' He would think silently to himself before heading over to Yuna himself, allowing the girl to look at and heal his injuries; a sigh leaving him as he felt the familiar warmth of her healing chakra soothing his injuries.

He thanked whatever fates allowed them to have a medical ninja on their team.

* * *

Yuuki's gaze would fall upon the team that the three of them were to be helping out on this mission with a calm smile, eyes dancing beneath long lashes as he would observe each feature on every one of his soon to be teammates. A blonde boy who wore an obnoxious orange jumpsuit who had whiskers on his cheeks for some reason. A black haired boy who wore a sour expression on his face. A very pretty pink-haired girl who looked at the boy like her world revolved around him.

Oh, this was going to be very fun.

"Ah, Kakashi. So you made it before us this time. I'm sorry we made you wait. My cute little genins here thought it would be funny to pull a prank on me and I just couldn't let that go without having a little fun of my own." A feeling of indignation would well up within the genjutsu user's chest and a protest would well upon his tongue, only to be silenced a moment later by the look he was given by his sensei, not wanting to be greeted by weapons and fire yet again.

His sensei would win his silence; for now.

"It's fine. It wouldn't be the first time one of us has had to wait for each other and I'm sure it will not be the last." Oh, the amount of self-control it took to keep his snide comments to himself should be rewarded and judging by the expressions on the other two ninja's faces he was not alone in his thoughts and it was apparent by the way his sensei rushed to change the topic that he didn't trust the three of them to behave themselves for much longer.

"A-Anyway. Perhaps we should get to introducing our teams to one another since they will be working so closely together on this mission. It seems as though Tazuna-san has not yet arrived at any rate so we do still have some time on our hands." Their sensei would turn his gaze to the three of them, gesturing to them with a smile that promised them (well, him and Akio really) a world of pain if they did not behave before speaking to them. "Go ahead and introduce yourselves to them. State your names and your age along with your position on the team. Maybe throw in your likes and dislikes if you would like." For a moment all three of them would remain silent as they shared a look with each other, determining quietly just who it was that would be the first one to speak before with a small, polite smile their medic would choose to step forward.

Sweet, polite little Yuna would be the first sacrifice.

"Hello everyone. My name is Yuna Tsukino. I am fifteen years old and serve as the medical ninja and healer on Team One. I like studying Fūinjutsu and incorporating seals into my battle style to make myself more useful to my team. I also like my teammates and practicing my chakra control whenever I have a chance." She would muse with an almost bashful smile as she felt all of the gazes on her before she was told to continue by her sensei. "I do not like people who betray their comrades. Nor do I like people who do not take themselves or their roles seriously. I'm also not a fan of people who look down on others or people who think too highly of themselves. I hope that we can all get along!"

"Very well done Yuna! Akio why don't you go next? Yuuki you'll be last."

Oh, thank god.

With a heavy sigh, the black haired boy would step forward as those stern features of his would harden even further as those icy blue eyes would narrow. "My name is Akio Koyabashi. I am the taijutsu and ninjutsu specialist on Team One. I like training and getting stronger. I like this village and times of peace. I dislike perverts who take advantage of defenseless people-" Yuuki would twitch as a pointed glare would be tossed so casually in his direction, eyes narrowed and mouth opened, ready to throw a not so kind insult towards in his teammate's direction before the boy would cut him off by continuing his introduction.

Lucky little bastard.

"- and traitors to the village. I am fifteen years old as well. Let's finish this mission quickly and painlessly."

"It was Yuuki's turn to shine.

He would step up with a pleasant smile crossing those full lips, eyes dancing in mirth as the attention was now focused on him, though he was a little annoyed to see that the three on Kakashi's team had not missed the pointed look in his direction when Akio had all but called him a pervert and looked as though they were the least excited to meet him out of the three.

Asshole

"My name is Yuuki Saito. I am the genjutsu user and the tracker on Team One. As you might have guessed, I am also fifteen years old. I like to practice weaving new genjustu and trying them out to see how they affect people in and out of battle. I like to paint in my free time and I like weapons. You will find that I am not bad at using them either. I dislike people who dare to call me names or people who mock my use of genjutsu just as much as I dislike those who insult or belittle my teammates. Let us try and get along the best that we can."

* * *

"In the time that it took for the other three on Kakashi's team to introduce themselves, Yuuki had come to learn quite a bit about the three that they were to work with. Naruto was a sweet, and bold young man who easily became his favorite out of the three that they were expected to work with. There was something to be said about his determination to become Hokage simply to be acknowledged by the village that had been so eager to shun him that resonated greatly within his heart.

It was such a familiar feeling that it nearly made him sick.

Sasuke Uchiha was the sole survivor of the Uchiha massacre that had happened some years back and while there was some pity to be had, the boy's piss poor attitude was something that rubbed the illusionist the wrong way.

In short, he wanted nothing to do with him.

Sakura Haruno was a tragic waste of a kunoichi as far as he was concerned. She was a pretty face and a sharp mind who lacked the discipline needed in order to make proper use of her place on Team Seven. 'It was a pity,' Yuuki noted quietly to himself as he looked over the kunoichi who seemed more focused on Sasuke Uchiha than anything else. 'She might have made a good medical nin. Or even a good genjutsu user if she got her head out of Sasuke's ass and decided to make herself useful for once.'

She needed to push herself and find a way to make herself useful. Until that happened, she was as good as useless to them as far as he was concerned. /He would be shaken from his thoughts the moment the bridge builder would finally arrive at their meeting spot and as the gates would open they would all get into formation, Naruto being the first one out, shouting excitedly the moment he managed to get a few feet away from the gate.

"Yeah! I'm a traveler now! You know!"

"What are you getting so excited about Naruto?" Any amusement that the purple-haired illusionist felt upon seeing the blonde's joy was quickly washed away upon hearing the condescending way she spoke to the boy that was supposed to be her teammate and judging by the way that Yuna's smile dropped for a moment before becoming forced he was not the only one that felt that way.

Oh, this was going to be good.

"Haruno-san. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have been able to leave the village before. Some people live behind those gates all of their lives. Please do not act so harshly towards Uzumaki-san. His excitement is not unfounded." The gentle scolding seemed to have little effect on the pinkette who simply huffed and averted her gaze away from Yuna, all the while muttering something under her breath.

Time to break the ice before a fight broke out.

"My, My. Come now princess, surely you cannot fault Uzumaki-kun for being excited. Wipe that pout off of that pretty little face of yours and give us a smile, please? I bet you would look absolutely beautiful if you would smile for us." He would smile warmly at the pink-haired girl, smirking inwardly as he would catch that familiar coloration beginning to form on the girl's cheeks.

"I-I. Thank you. I guess you're right." It didn't go unnoticed that her gaze fell to the broody member of Team Seven once again, seeming to hope that Yuuki's flirting might have gotten a reaction out of Sasuke only for the girl to be completely disappointed when he did not even look in her direction.

If he had been less in tune with hiding his true emotions, he probably would have scoffed in disbelief.

Just what was so good about the Uchiha anyways?

* * *

He would receive his answer a short while later as the ninja would make their way further away from the hidden leaf village. A frown would cross Yuuki's features, eyes darkening slightly as he would manage to catch an unknown chakra signature slightly trailing after their would be a moment before his signature smile would fall upon his lips once again as he would tilt his head to meet Ryosuke's gaze, allowing his head to fall back casually before making a small gesture with his hand, letting the older man know that there was someone trailing behind them while the other ninjas were in the middle of listening to a lesson from Kakashi about the hidden villages and the countries that they resided in.

He would wait for a moment before closing his eyes, trying to see if there was anything more he could gather from the unknown chakra, scoffing slightly when the chakra seemed to disappear out of nowhere. While they were sloppy enough to manage to have been sensed by him, it seemed as though they were not stupid enough to actually get caught.

At least that was what he believed up until he saw the damn puddle.

A puddle in the middle of Fire Country, on a clear day when it had not rained in at least a few weeks. A soft sigh would leave him as he would once again look at his sensei only to see that Ryosuke was not the only one who had noticed the ridiculous attempt at a disguise. Kakashi would simply nod at him before the ninja would choose that moment to act.

"First one."

Chains would wrap around Kakashi before the two ninjas would rip him apart and the scream that came from both Naruto, and Sakura were enough to coax the ninjas of Team One into action as they saw the chains wrap around their own sensei who seemed to be strangely calm. "Remember the mission! Protect Tazuna-san at all costs! Everything is going to be-" Their sensei never had the chance to finish his sentence as he was the next to fall prey to the ninjas' chains, coaxing another scream to leave Naruto, something that served to make him their next target.

"Second one, down. Third one locked on."

Naruto would stand frozen in absolute fear as the ninjas moved to catch him in their chain, intending to rip him to pieces the same way they had done to the two adults before Sasuke would manage to pin them to a tree with his ninja weapons. As he would kick them in their faces and they managed to break free from the chains, Akio would move quickly, tackling the blonde to the ground to prevent him from being torn apart by one of the brother's claws, eyes narrowing as he watched the second brother rush off towards Tazuna.

"Yuuki, Yuna!" There was not a moment's hesitation as Yuna would move quickly, managing to toss a scroll in Yuuki's direction right before Yuuki would use the body flicker technique to warp behind him, unsealing the scroll and tossing two kunai at the mist ninja, eyes dancing with mirth as they embedded themselves into the back of the enemy ninja's back, causing him to stumble a few steps before he would continue charging, Sakura throwing herself in front of the bridge builder while Sasuke moved to protect her.

"Yuna, go!" He would watch as their female teammate would gather up her chakra until it became visible, running quickly towards the ninja who was hellbent on attacking her comrades, ready to send him flying only to stumble as their senseis would choose that moment to reveal themselves, managing to stop herself just in time before she accidentally managed to hit Kakashi with her Chakra Scalpels./

That would have been very bad.

Yuuki's gaze would immediately shoot to where Naruto and Akio were, only to sigh in relief as he saw his sensei holding the second brother by the back of his cloak, a scarily cheerful smile covering his features. "My, My. Look what the cat dragged in. A wet scared little mouse. All the better for us to play with, right Kakashi?"

Kami their sensei was scary.

Ryosuke's golden eyes would shine brightly down at Akio for a moment, beaming with pride at his genin before he would turn to Naruto with the same warm look, though those golden eyes would hold the slightest bit of remorse within their depths. "I'm sorry that we didn't act right away Naruto. I did not mean for you to get hurt. You as well Akio, though you did a great job trying to keep Naruto safe."

"We did not think that Naruto would freeze up like that. Part of the reason that we stayed hidden was we wanted to see how you all would work together and how you would react to the threat. For the most part, I can say that we were very impressed with how things were handled." Kakashi's relaxed voice would fill in the blanks before he would turn to his own ninja as he made his way over to them. "Good job Sasuke, very smooth. You too Sakura, well done."

"You as well Yuuki and Yuna. Excellent use of the body flicker on your part and smart thinking, sealing weapons within those scrolls." Yuuki would simply smirk in quiet satisfaction before his gaze would move towards Naruto and Akio who both happened to look less than pleased with themselves and as Sasuke would tease Naruto, causing the blonde to react aggressively, the next words that left Kakashi's mouth would cause all of the ninja to freeze up.

Apparently, the Ninjas' claws contained poison in them.

As Naruto was told to stay still and not to move because of the fact that the poison was already in his blood, Ryosuke would gesture to the blue-haired kunoichi. "Yuna. Your time to shine." The kunoichi would move quickly to Naruto's side, hands moving to gently grasp onto Naruto's, steadying it as she would allow one hand to hover over the wound, hand glowing with her chakra as it would flow into the wound before creating a vacuum like suction, drawing out the poison from his blood while sealing the wound closed all at the same time.

It seemed as though she had done this before, a fact that did not go unnoticed.

"Ryosuke why is she experienced with poison despite the fact that she is only a genin? She should have no idea on how to deal with any of this yet, despite being a medic. Oh and Tazuna I will need to speak with you as well as soon as possible. We all do." Yuuki would watch as his sensei would hesitate for a moment as he looked at Yuna before sighing as he turned to Kakashi.

"Yuna wasn't born in Konoha though you guys should already know that as the Tsukino aren't a clan from Konoha. They're a clan of bloodthirsty medics from the Kiri. Yuna's parents defected from the Kiri and came to Konoha back when she was about four or five and they trained her to be a medical ninja on their own, using the Mist's techniques while incorporating them with Konoha's. She's good with poisons because her parents taught her to be good with them just in case Kiri ever comes after them. There is a good chance of that still happening after all."

Though they would have to kill all of them before any of them allowed anyone from the Mist to hurt Yuna.

Kakashi would allow that information to sink in for the longest of moments, black eyes never leaving the golden eyes of Team One's sensei before sighing and turning his gaze to Tazuna, satisfied with the information about the medic but yearning to satisfy the rest of his curiosity. "Going back to what I said earlier, it is true that we stayed hidden partly because we wanted to see how our teams would work together when faced with a threat." Kakashi would pause for a moment before his gaze would narrow. "The other reason was simply that we wanted to see who it was that these ninja were after. Were they going to attack us ninja and make it a ninja on ninja attack? Or were they after you; the master bridge builder?"

"When you put in your request, you asked for standard protection from highwaymen and robbers. You did not say that ninja were also looking for you-" Ryosuke would interject, golden eyes narrowing at the bridge builder who seemed to be getting nervous at the implications before Kakashi would speak again.

"-hunting you down. If we knew this, this would easily have been a B ranked mission or higher. Our task was simply to get you to your destination and protect you while you finished building your bridge. If we knew we'd be expecting attacks from enemy ninja we would have staffed differently and charged for the cost of a B mission." The bridge builder at least had the decency to look ashamed with himself as Kakashi continued to scold him, going as far as to say that this mission was beyond their level.

Sakura was fast to agree, even going as far as to say that this mission was too advanced for their level of training and that Naruto should get properly treated by a doctor, something that was promptly ignored by all of them as Yuna scoffed silently, mumbling something under her breath as she turned her attention to Akio.

"The Ninja would stand at a stalemate for the longest of moments before Yuuki would sigh, deciding to finally speak up only to be shut up by Naruto, announcing that he felt fine and that he wanted more than anything to continue on with the mission, something that made Yuuki chuckle softly before speaking.

"I agree. We may be genin but I think there's more than enough of us to handle this mission. It was easy enough to sense these jokers and we do have a medical ninja on our team even if she is just a genin. These ninjas are mist ninja and there's a chance more Kirigakure ninja will come after us. It seems as though they're unfamiliar with the terrain just like we are and Yuna does know some Kiri and Konoha medical ninjutsu. I think we'll be fine."

Ryosuke would hesitate for the longest of moments as he looked at his genin before sighing softly. "I do believe that they have us beat, Kakashi. If worst comes to worst, there are two of us and the two of us have worked with each other enough to fight with each other if need be. I think we can do this."

Kakashi would listen to Ryosuke's words before shaking his head and chuckling softly, something that caused Ryosuke to immediately blush as he would avert his gaze. "You're right as usual. If Yuna is capable enough to remove poison and heal injuries then I suppose as long as we ensure she stays safe along with Tazuna, we should be fine. Very well then...you guys win."

Hopefully, things from this point on would run smoothly.

One could hope at any rate.


	3. Chapter 3

The mist is so thick that we could cut through it if we wanted to.

That was the first thought that crossed Yuuki's mind as the boat gently traveled along the murky water, midnight-blue eyes squinting to see if he could see anything past the mist only for him to give up with a sigh a moment later, lips forming into a small pout. He had wanted to see the scenery from the water and had been hoping that he would be able to make a painting out of it later on in the night when he managed to get some time alone.

It seemed as though he would simply have to wait until next time.

His attention would be stolen from his thoughts as Kakashi would speak to the bridge builder, asking about the people who happened to be after him before also asking him why he had lied to them in the first place, warning him that if he refused to disclose the information to all of them, that their mission would end as soon as they reached land.

Eyes would all fall upon the old man as he spoke about the man who wanted him dead, a rich executive of a shipping company named Gato. Apparently, the man was into all sorts of dark and disgusting acts and used his wealth to control everything in the Land of Waves, from the lives of the everyday people to the government in the country itself.

It was sickening what money could get a person.

Tazuna would then go on to say that the thing the man feared more than anything else was the completion of the bridge that he was building for the country. "So you've become a problem since you're the one constructing the bridge." Sakura would muse silently before Sasuke would come to the realization that the ninja before had been Gato's men.

"You would think that such a rich man would be able to afford better ninja. It was laughable just how unskilled those first two were." Yuuki would muse with a small smile before he would listen as Tazuna spoke again, saying that the Land of Waves was a very poor country and that they could not afford the costs of a B-ranked mission. He would go on to say that if they left, he would be killed immediately.

If that was not enough, he also mentioned his grandson and the fact that his daughter would blame leaf shinobi for his death before grieving in solitude for the rest of her life, something the made all of his teammates immediately freeze up in guilt, though Yuuki's gaze would remain unchanging, that cat-like smile remaining on his features, though those eyes would narrow the slightest bit.

The man was good, he would give him that.

Once they would reach the shore and would get off of the boat, Tazuna would go as far as to demand the party of ninja to get him home safely, something that made the Genjutsu user twitch slightly in annoyance before that smile would wash over his features again, wondering just how much trouble he might be in if he trapped the old man in a minor genjutsu just long enough to teach him some respect.

Or at least some gratitude.

They would continue on with their journey, Yuuki allowing his chakra to go into sensory mode as he lingered in the middle of the group, watching with great amusement as Naruto seemed determined to make up for having frozen up in the previous battle, claiming that he sensed a presence before throwing his kunai knife into the bushes, an act that made the others tense up as Yuuki's eyes would close, trying to see if Naruto was right.

It was silent for a moment before Naruto would claim that he sensed someone in the opposite direction, throwing a knife into the other bush. It was enough to upset Sakura who would punch Naruto before scolding him for acting recklessly while Naruto would claim that there really was someone following them and as they would sift through the bushes, they would find a poor little rabbit who looked as though it was close to having a heart attack.

The poor thing.

The noise coming from Naruto as he apologized to the rabbit was enough to distract the purple haired boy as he watched him cuddle the rabbit with a soft chuckle. "Consider yourself lucky that he doesn't bite you. If I were that poor thing I'd have tried to take a finger from you by now." He would muse, before laughing once again as he saw the expression on Naruto's face at his words.

Oh, he was too cute.

He would miss as Ryosuke, and Kakashi would immediately begin scouting the area after seeing the coloration of the rabbit's coat, enjoying the show, at least until he heard the cry from Kakashi, warning everyone to get down. It would be not even seconds later that he would feel the air rush above where he had just been standing, eyes narrowing as he would look up in time to see a sword embed itself into a tree a few feet away from all of them, a tanned ninja standing on top of the blade as he looked coldly down at them.

How the hell had he missed him?

"Well, Well. If it isn't the rogue ninja of the Hidden Mist, Zabuza Momochi." He would hear Kakashi's words as he approached the man, body tensing as he heard that he hailed from the mist village, frowning lightly as his gaze would calmly flicker over to Yuna, relaxing as he found her a safe distance away, Akio having placed himself in between her and the man.

If Akio was with her, they'd be fine.

A sudden movement from the corner of his eye would catch his attention, heart nearly stopping within his chest as he saw Naruto move to charge at the man, hand moving quickly to yank him back by the back of his jumpsuit, smile for once not on his face.

"Naruto. It's best not to go rushing into battle with this guy. I don't think he's stupid like the others." That blue gaze would narrow slightly as Kakashi would confirm his guess, saying that this man was on a whole different level, Ryosuke moving to stand by the white-haired man as he would gently coax his student back along with Naruto. "Get back and protect Tazuna-san. Both of you. Kakashi and I will handle this ourselves. Manji formation if you please."

"I assume the one with the white hair, is Kakashi the Sharingan user. You with the black hair...those gold eyes. You must be the Demon from the Leaf. Sorry...but I'll have to have the both of you hand over the old man."

* * *

The tension was heavy in the air as Kakashi's hand would move to his headband while Ryosuke stood in position, golden eyes narrowing as he watched the rogue nin and as Kakashi would reveal the Sharingan eye and as Naruto would question just what the Sharingan was, Sasuke would explain it in great detail, Yuuki's eyes widening slightly once he heard just what Kakashi's eye was capable of doing.

The thought that his genjutsu would be rendered absolutely useless bothered him more than anything else.

The area around them would suddenly become surrounded with a dense mist and he would feel his heart stop within his veins, eyes narrowing as Zabuza's voice penetrated through the mist.

"When I was in the Anbu Black Ops of the Hidden Mist, information about the both of you was in the Bingo Book I carried with me. There was also something else in the book. The man who has copied over one thousand skills, Kakashi the copycat Ninja." The voice would trail off for a moment before speaking again.

"There was also information about the man whose Kekkei Genkai allowed him to manipulate lava with such ease that they swore he was a demon straight from the depths of hell. Demon of the Leaf, I wonder if I'll get the chance to see your lava release before I paint the ground red with your blood."

Man, this guy was sadistic.

"Let's end the talking here. I must kill the old man immediately." Zabuza's eyes would narrow as he leered at the bridge builder, immediately spurring the genin to get into position, all sides of the bridge builder being guarded by one member each of the teams, leaving no angle unguarded.

"But Kakashi. Ryosuke. It seems as though I will have to defeat you both first." With those words said he would grab his sword from the tree, removing it before using the body flicker to transport himself over to the water where he seemed to be gathering up a large amount of chakra, Yuuki left swallowing roughly as he realized just how powerful the man they were to fight truly was.

He could not help but worry about the two jonin who were going to fight him face to face and while he knew they had the advantage in numbers, something about this man truly made him uneasy.

"Ninja Art, Hidden Mist Jutsu." With those words uttered, Zabuza would vanish into the air and immediately Kakashi and Ryosuke would come forward, stepping in front of the genin.

"He'll probably come to erase me first. Ryosuke will probably be next as we're currently the biggest threats to his mission at the moment." Kakashi would muse quietly, falling silent as Sakura would ask just what he was, prompting an explanation about the man who was known as the expert on silent killing and as Kakashi warned that he had not mastered his eye completely, warning them all to not lower their guard, he noticed that Ryosuke was scarily silent for once.

That was not a good sign.

The mist would grow thicker and thicker until both of the Jonin would vanish completely from their field of vision, that sinister voice piercing through the mist once again as he listed the major vital points on the human body before asking which would be the best one for him to attack. As soon as the voice would trail off, the mist would be chased off by Kakashi's chakra and all of the ninjas would be faced with a powerful spike of killing intent.

It was enough to make Yuuki's blood run completely cold.

Wide blue eyes would dart around as he would try to locate the man, hands trembling as he did his best to calm himself, a soft gasp leaving him as he felt a strong grasp on his hand, eyes flickering to the side to meet the icy blue gaze of Akio and he would feel his anxiety start to slowly fade away.

They would be fine.

No matter what happens.

At least they were together.

It seemed as though he was not the only one affected by the killing intent for it was only a moment later that Kakashi spoke, telling Sasuke that he did not need to worry because he would protect them with his life. He swore that he would not allow his comrades to get killed before smiling at the genin.

"I wonder about that."

That voice would disrupt the moment before Zabuza would appear in the very middle of the genin's formation, sword drawn and ready to kill.

"It's over."

* * *

Before the man could even move, Ryosuke was behind him, arms locking behind Zabuza, holding him in place as Kakashi body flickered over, stabbing him in the stomach with his kunai only to find water dripping out of his wound before Zabuza would disperse in a burst of water.

A water clone.

Zabuza would immediately appear behind Kakashi, telling him to die and slicing through both him and Ryosuke with his sword only for the black haired ninja to disappear in a cloud of smoke and Kakashi to vanish with the same burst of water.

Clones as well and Kakashi had even managed to copy the water clone jutsu from him.

It would be in the next second that Kakashi would appear behind Zabuza with a kunai pressed against his neck, warning him not to move before stating that it was over, Ryosuke body flickering to stand in front of Zabuza, hands formed in the sign needed to activate his Lava Release if need be, golden eyes never leaving the rogue ninja's form.

Maybe Ryosuke-sensei wasn't a complete goof after all.

The genin would sit on the ground completely stunned before Naruto's voice would break out, praising Kakashi's skills as he told Zabuza that this was the end for him something that caused the man to laugh darkly before he would tell Kakashi that he would not be able to beat him with his imitations. It was then that the man would disappear into a splash of water yet again, revealing that he was another clone before the real Zabuza would appear behind him, swinging his sword just in time for Kakashi to duck as Ryosuke lunged forward, aiming a swift kick to Zabuza's torso only to hiss as he was caught.

"Pathetic. Is this all that the Demon of the Leaf is capable of? Subpar weaponry and taijutsu? Where is the ninja that made my fellow ninja so scared? Surely he has more up his sleeve than just these cheap tricks!" Ryosuke would disappear in a cloud of smoke, only to reappear behind Zabuza but this time the enemy ninja was expecting him, dodging his attack and sending a swift kick to his back, sending him flying into Kakashi and knocking them both into the water before disappearing.

As the two leaf ninja would surface from the depths of the water, Kakashi would comment on how heavy the water was, causing Yuu's eyes to narrow slightly before allowing his chakra to switch to his sensory mode, eyes widening as he saw that the water was dripping with Zabuza's chakra.

"Ryosuke-Sensei, Hatake-sensei! Get out of there quick the water is-" His warning came too late as Zabuza would appear behind the two men, weaving signs and trapping them in a sort of water prison that he swore they would be unable to escape from. He would mention that they both gave him a hard time when they were moving freely before promising that he would kill them as soon as he killed their genin, using his free hand to use the sign to make another water clone.

One that they would have to face on their own.

= Line Break =

"The six of you have forehead protectors on as if you think that you are real ninja, but real ninja have gone through numerous life and death situations. In other words, you can call yourselves ninjas when you appear in my bingo book."

He would make a gesture with his hands and the mist would thicken once again.

"You six aren't ninja." He would appear in front of Naruto, kicking him back and sending the boy flying back, Yuna and Akio moving quickly to catch him, steadying the boy before he could hit the ground, multiple sets of blue eyes glaring at the adult as he stepped on Naruto's forehead protector.

"You're all just kids."

That statement was enough to shake something in their senseis as Kakashi would shout out, calling for them to take Tazuna and run away from the battle. Zabuza could not move as long as he kept both of the men imprisoned in the water sphere and could not use the water clone once they got away from him.

The genin would remain silent for a moment, sharing a gaze with one another before coming to the same realization. They could not run away because Zabuza would only hunt them down.

The only chance that they had at survival was to save their senseis.

Sasuke was the first to move into action, running at Zabuza while throwing numerous shuriken at him which were deflected by his sword before leaping at him with his kunai poised to strike, only to be caught by his throat. Zabuza would choke him for a bit before sending him flying on the ground, something that prompted Team One to react as they saw him standing in front of Naruto.

Akio would be the next to charge at Zabuza, icy eyes narrowed into a dark glare as his hands would form rapid signs before he would slam them down onto the ground, causing the ground to ripple with the movements in an attempt to catch the clone off balance, succeeding in making him stumble as Yuuki would body flicker behind him hands forming rapid signs before he would speak softly, activating the genjutsu on the clone as he turned to face him.

"Heavenly Illusion: Sweet Serendipity." While the illusion would not hold long, it was long enough for him to start weaving another one, weaving layer after layer into the illusion in an attempt to buy his teammates some time as the clone was trapped in a world that surrounded him with sweet pleasant scents along with vibrant colors.

It was an illusion made to force the victim to relax, draining at their willpower until they no longer wished to fight and gave in to the illusion. He wasn't sure how long it would last on a bloodthirsty savage like Zabuza, much less how long it would last on a clone.

He hoped they came up with something fast.

Those hopes were immediately dashed when Naruto went running towards the clone, screaming and managing to disrupt the illusion he had managed to trap him in, Yuuki immediately body flickering away to avoid the clone's attack before wincing as Naruto was sent flying back to the group, eyes narrowing in irritation and mouth opening to scold the ninja only to have Sakura beat him to it.

"What were you thinking running in there like that by yourself? Yuuki had him trapped! You should have left it alone until we figured something out! Genins like ourselves don't stand a chance otherwise!" They would watch as Naruto picked himself up, revealing that he had run in to get his forehead protector, something that made the purple haired boy sigh softly before those eyes would narrow at the clone as he heard that Naruto had a plan.

This had better work.

* * *

The fact that the genin had not run away yet was something that seemed to cause a lot of panic within their senseis. "What are you guys doing? You need to run! The outcome of this battle was decided when both Kakashi and I got caught!" Ryosuke would call out, golden eyes frantic as he watched the children attempt to free them only to get caught and hurt by the clone and it seemed as though Kakashi shared his feelings.

"Our mission is to protect Tazuna-San at all costs! Have you forgotten that?!" That was enough to get a reaction out of all of the youth, those gazes snapping to Tazuna as Naruto would speak softly in question.

"Old man?" Tazuna's hat would lower over his eyes before he would assure the genin that saving their senseis was fine and that he would not complain about any decision they made since he was the one to cause all of this to begin with. It was enough to cause Yuuki's previous distaste of the man to fade away as a smirk would cross his features.

Maybe the man wasn't so bad after all.

Their new found confidence was enough to only make Zabuza laugh as he said that they did not learn before stating that by the time that he was their age that his hands had already been stained in blood, something that caused Team One to tense up with Yuna becoming more and more distressed as he spoke about just what it took to graduate from the academy in the Hidden Mist village.

Students killing each other in order to graduate.

"Of course. Some of you already know that. That blue-haired girl of yours...was it...Yuna? You know all too well what I am talking about because your parents ran away from Kirigakure just as you were at the right age to start attending the academy. The Tsukino were really upset to have their heir stolen away at such a prime time in her life. You're worth quite a bit of money, If I weren't on such bad terms with the mist I'd be tempted to take them up on that offer and bring you to them."

Yuuki would tense up, blue eyes narrowing as he watched the way he looked at her as though she was nothing more than money before he would chuckle and talk would begin about there being a reformation of that practice ten years ago because a small boy had gone in and killed every single one of the academy students without hesitation and at that moment, as that monster was revealed to be Zabuza, he would watch in disgust as he would simply state about how much fun that was before attacking Sasuke.

Naruto took that moment to attack him and as he was sent flying back he would toss a giant shuriken towards Sasuke who would manage to capture it and set it up before he sent it flying. It would sail past the clone and towards the real Zabuza only for the man to catch it and the minute he caught it a second shuriken would appear in his blind spot, Zabuza jumping up to avoid it only for the shuriken to become Naruto.

They had managed to trick him.

Naruto would throw a kunai at Zabuza, forcing the man to release the prison that held the sensei's hostage and Yuna would use that moment to attack the water clone with her chakra scalpels while his back was turned, forcing the clone to disappear in a burst of water. Zabuza in his rage would move to throw the shuriken at Naruto only to be stopped by a furious Kakashi who glared at Zabuza while Ryosuke rose from the water as well, golden eyes blazing in anger as he began forming signs, determined to teach Zabuza a lesson.

He wasn't getting out of here alive.

Kakashi would compliment their plan before Naruto would go into depths explaining everything, even throwing a smile towards Yuna when he mentioned that they had managed to get rid of the clone. The blue haired girl smiling back in response before Yuuki would step up and speak.

"Ryosuke-Sensei, Hatake-Sensei. Kick his ass for me. Let's not forget that he said he'd sell Yuna back to Kirigakure if he could!" That was enough to make the mood shift as Ryosuke's golden gaze would darken even further, something that made Zabuza chuckle softly.

"I lost myself for a moment and canceled the technique-"

"No, you didn't cancel it." Kakashi would begin before Ryosuke would cut in.

"You were forced to let it go."

"Let me just tell you that the same technique will not work against me twice."

"And now that we have seen what you're capable of, you will not be getting away."

"What are you going to do now?"

Zabuza would move to attack Kakashi with the Shuriken only for the later to knock it out of his hands and with that threat gone, all three of the ninja would dash off in a flash, Ryosuke gently grabbing Naruto and moving him to safety before he would move to stand in front of the genin, hands forming seals quickly as a large wave of water came crashing down towards them.

"Lava Release: Magma armor!" His Kekkei Genkai would flare to life, the molten hot lava forming his body like a protective armor as the water came crashing down on him, quickly evaporating due to the heat of his chakra and preventing it from crashing down on the genin, soft wisps of steam flowing from his body before he would move to return to Kakashi's side.

The fight wasn't over yet.

The genin would watch in awe as the three ninjas moved, Ryosuke trailing behind Kakashi helping the man as often as he could, smirking as he saw that Zabuza was getting paranoid due to Kakashi's tactics and he would quickly form his own hand signs, casting a minor genjutsu on Zabuza that would cause him to see himself standing at Kakashi's side, something that clearly freaked the man out even more before Kakashi would take the opening he created, sending out one last final attack.

It was done.

As Zabuza sat pinned against a tree by the kunai that Ryosuke threw, Zabuza would ask Kakashi if he could see the future, Kakashi would tell him that yes, he could, before stating that Zabuza was to die as he caught a kunai that Ryosuke threw to him only for the two jonin to watch in shock as two senbon were thrown, embedding themselves into Zabuza's neck.

Dear god, he really was right.

* * *

"It was true, he really did die." A soft and silky voice would fill the air as a masked ninja would appear before them and the moment that they saw the symbols on the mask, Ryosuke would immediately tense up, eyes narrowing as he braced himself for another potential fight.

There was no way he was going to allow a Kirigakure Nin to touch his student.

Yuuki would immediately move to shield Yuna from the ninja's view as would Akio, Yuna's hand moving to her own kunai pouch only for the three to be surprised when the ninja from Team Seven would also move to get in defensive position around her, seemingly ready to fight alongside them to keep her safe if need be.

Kakashi would move to Zabuza's body while Ryosuke would move to stand in front of the genin, golden eyes watching every single move the masked ninja made while Kakashi checked the man's pulse, only to confirm that he was truly dead.

The masked ninja would bow their head in gratitude. "Thank you very much. I was looking for a chance to kill Zabuza." Kakashi's eyes would narrow before he would speak, clarifying that ninja was, in fact, a hunter ninja from the Hidden Mist.

"You are very well informed." The masked ninja would speak smoothly before Naruto would cut in aggressively, only to be scolded by Sakura once again as she explained what a hunter ninja was, the air becoming tense as it became clear to everyone that there was a good chance the ninja would want Yuna as well.

"Yes, I am a member of the pursuing ninja that hunt exiled ninja." With that said Naruto would run forward, charging at the masked ninja before stopping a few feet away as he would look at Zabuza's body before glaring at the masked ninja.

"Who the hell are you?!" Kakashi would move to calm Naruto down, pulling him back while muttering that he was not currently an enemy and that he needed to calm down. Naruto would explain how he could not accept how a kid who was not that much different from him was capable of killing Zabuza so easily, making them look like idiots in the process, only to be silenced by Kakashi's explanation.

In this world, there were kids who were younger than they were, but were stronger than Kakashi.

The masked ninja would move to Zabuza's body, lifting it as they would move to look at the two teams. "Your battle ends here for now. I must go and dispose of the body." The ninja would turn as if they were leaving before pausing, turning their head in the direction of where Yuna was at.

"Tsukino-san. " There was a moment where hearts ran cold, Yuuki's eyes narrowing as he eyed the hunter with a darkening smile, daring him to try anything before Yuna would move into his sight, features calm despite the potential threat.

"Yes?"

"You've grown well. I'm so happy to see that you're doing well despite everything. I will see you again soon. Very soon."

With that, he was gone and all was silent for a moment before a soft chuckle would leave Yuuki's lips, a dark smile crossing his features as he stared at the place where the hunter ninja had been only moments before.

"I'm calling it, he's going to end up being an enemy and we're going to have to fight him sometime in the very near future."

"Yuuki, you shouldn-"

"I will give you all of the money from my last ten missions if I'm wrong. If I'm right, you have to paint a flattering portrait of me and you can only say nice things about me for a week, Akio."

"You're on."

They would turn their attention away from each other when they heard something hit the ground and immediately their eyes would widen as Ryosuke would move quickly to Kakashi's side, gently lifting the man as the genin on Team Seven were left worrying about their sensei.

"There's no need to worry, I promise you. He just hasn't used the Sharingan this much in a very long time and I believe it put a strain on his body and exhausted his chakra. With some rest, he should be fine. Tazuna-san..please lead the way to your home. We should be safe for now."

The rest of the journey was made relatively quickly, though Ryosuke couldn't help but notice just how silent Yuna was throughout the remainder of the trip, concern growing and as they would reach the house and Kakashi would get looked over and everyone's wounds were treated, he would pull the medic to the side.

"Yuna, what's wrong? You've been awfully quiet since that encounter with the hunter ninja. Is something bothering you?" She looked more worried than anything else, hands fiddling with her sleeves before sighing as those blue eyes would move to meet her sensei's.

"I..um. Sensei...that hunter Ninja."

"He seemed to know you, is that what has you worried?"

"No. Sensei...I..don't think that. Um."

"Yuna. You're scaring me. What's wrong."

"That boy. Whatever he was, he wasn't a hunter ninja. My father was a medic for a Hunter-Nin squad back before we left Kiri. Hunter Ninjas don't take the body with them to dispose of them. They get rid of the body there on sight and take back something to prove that they killed the target. I've never heard of them doing what that boy did."

There was a long moment of silence before that feeling of dread would subside long enough for him to speak. "So you're saying-"

"Whatever that boy was, he was not a hunter ninja. There's a good chance he's working with Zabuza which means..there's a very good chance that Zabuza is still alive."

Oh...Kakashi was not going to like this.

He was not going to like this one bit.


	4. Chapter 4

It would be a few days before Kakashi would finally wake up from his sleep only to get scolded into not moving by Tazuna's daughter, the scolding enough to attract the attention of his fellow ninja as they all piled in, Ryosuke choosing to lean back against the wall as Yuna would move to loo over his injuries, frowning slightly as she noticed that he was suffering from Chakra exhaustion. "Hatake-Sensei. You really should take it easy and rest for the next few days at least. That battle with Zabuza really did a number on your body. As did the use of the Sharingan, I did the best that I could with my experience, but it may not have done much to help."

Sakura would move to sit next to the two of them, that mint gaze looking down at her sensei with a look of concern. "Your Sharingan's amazing but if it puts that much of a strain on your body, it may not be worth it." She would scold lightly as a sheepish looking Kakashi would apologize before the topic would shift to the boy with the mask, something that made the Tsukino girl tense up as she would frown lightly before Ryosuke would sigh softly, waiting for Kakashi to finish explaining about the Hidden Mist's hunters before he would interject.

"About that, Kakashi, we may have a problem brewing on our hands." That was enough to shift the attention onto the black-haired Jonin as he would gesture to Yuna. "As you may or may not know, Yuna here was born in Kirigakure to two medical ninjas. What you may not know is that Yuna's father was a medic for a squad of hunter Ninja. What that boy did, Yuna told me is completely unheard of." Attention would shift to the blue-haired girl as she would shift lightly before speaking.

"They are supposed to get rid of the body on sight, then and there as soon as they have made a kill. A simple token to prove that he killed Zabuza was all that boy needed. He did not need to take the body. That and the fact that the boy used senbon, which is not a weapon that is normally used by medics due to the fact that you have to be deadly accurate with them in order to kill. If I had to guess, we haven't seen the last of Zabuza."

All would fall silent for a moment before Akio would sigh softly, drawing attention to him as Yuuki would smirk darkly over to him. "I was right, I knew it! You'd better hold up your end of the bargain or I'll lock you in a genjutsu and throw you into the women's side in the Hot Springs when we get home!"

Shock would permeate the air for a moment before all hell would break loose, Yuna standing swiftly as she glared at her two teammates who would immediately fall silent as they were faced with the normally gentle kunoichi's anger. "You mean to tell me that I've been worried about this for the last few days only to find out that you both were making bets about whether or not he was alive all along?!"

The boys would fall silent, looking to their sensei for help only to find that the man was pointedly ignoring their gaze as he focused his attention on the window, humming a quiet little tune to himself as he was unable to hide his amusement as he watched the boys all but fall over themselves to try and quell the girl's anger. Even Yuuki had dropped that mask of his long enough to show what he was really feeling for once, so he supposed he could ignore this little outburst from Yuna.

Just this once.

The argument between the three teammates would be silenced a moment later as Kakashi would clear his throat and would mention a need for training and as Sakura would protest, Kakashi would remind them that they had been the ones to save him and Ryosuke in the middle of the battle, before stating that all of them had grown, with Naruto having grown the most, something that made the energetic blonde beam with pride and made the purple haired illusionist smile softly as he watched the blonde as he all but glowed from that compliment.

Naruto was going to accomplish great things one day, he knew it.

The moment would be interrupted by the young boy named Inari as he told them plain and clear that they were all going to die and that no one could stand up to Gato, something that made Yuuki twitch as that smile on his face would become strained. "My, My. Aren't you just absolutely-"

Bratty.

Rude.

Obnoxious.

Irritating.

"-Charming." He would finish before snickering softly as Naruto would jump up and call the child a brat, making a mental note to praise the blonde when the two of them were alone and he wouldn't be scolded for doing so. He would listen as Naruto would tell the boy that he was going to be the Hokage one day before saying that he was not worried about Gato or his men.

The boy was not impressed.

He would scoff and turn away, telling them that heroes did not exist and that if they did not want to die they should hurry up and return home before leaving, Sakura forced to restrain the enraged blonde until he was completely safe from Naruto's wrath.

Pity, he would have liked to see Naruto shake some sense into that brat.

* * *

It would be a few more days before Kakashi was able to move enough to walk around and the two teams would find themselves gathered in the forest. Kakashi would speak about Chakra only to be interrupted by Naruto as he said that they already knew everything about this thing, something that originally had all of the Team One ninja impressed.

Then he called it Chatora.

Oh, Naruto.

Sakura would begin to explain what Chakra was to Naruto along with how it worked while Yuuki would turn his gaze to Ryosuke. "Sensei, no offense, but do we really need to sit here through this lesson when we already know how to do this?"

"It never hurts to get a refresher."

"Sensei, we've been a team for two years at this point. I will admit that they did surprise us a lot during the fight with Zabuza but even Akio has mastered the basics of Chakra control and he was the worst one at it. This seems redundant at best and pointless at worst." Yuuki would muse before those blues would widen as Ryosuke's gaze would move to meet his own.

He looked so...tired.

"Yuuki-kun. Yuna-chan. Akio-kun, did it ever occur to you why I might have accepted this mission to begin with? I know the three of you like to tease me about my..situation..with Kakashi, but when I told you I had my reasons, I meant it. The reason is that you three are easily some of the most talented genin I have ever had the chance to work with but you three need to expand your world outside of each other."

He would pause for a moment, allowing that information to sink in before speaking once again.

"Yuuki, you were thrown aside and forgotten by the village as soon as your parents were killed in that mission, simply because you were not born in Konoha and because of that, you turned to illusions and put on a mask to keep everyone out." That golden gaze would turn to Yuna next. "You...and your parents were treated with suspicion and scorn everywhere you went because of the fact that you three were from the Bloody Mist. Your parents went mad because of the isolation and are going to spend the rest of their lives in the mental ward of Konoha's hospital."

Then there was Akio.

"You..you were branded as a traitor because of the fact that your uncle ran off with Orochimaru. What I am trying to say is that you three all have reasons to hate the village. You all have issues with trusting others outside of your own little bubble and outside of those penpals that Yuuki has from Sunagakure, you three have no connections with anyone aside from each other. I took this mission to show you that not everyone from the village is the same way."

He would gesture to the four of Team Seven who had since finished their talk and were watching the four of them, waiting patiently for them to finish. "Has any one of these children treated any of you the way that you expected to be treated?"

The silence was enough of an answer for him.

"You three...need to learn how to work with people outside of each other. You need to learn how to trust and open up and helping these genin master chakra control is just a start. Please...trust me. I promise you won't regret it." Three pairs of blue eyes would meet their sensei before sharing a look with one another, all three coming to the same hesitant decision.

It was worth a shot.

The four members of Team One would return to Team Seven, curious to learn about what the exercise was only to find out that it would be tree climbing and as the genin would complain, Kakashi would simply chuckle before he would look at Ryosuke. "Do you mind?"

"You tell me to jump and I ask how high, isn't that the way this relationship of ours works, Kakashi?" Ryosuke would muse softly before he would gather his chakra, forcing it down to the bottom of his feet before he would begin to walk up the tree effortlessly, moving to hang upside down from a branch as he would peer down at the genin, pouting as gravity would force his hair to fall down into his field of vision.

"Oh..now my hair is going to be all weird. The things I do to make you happy. I do hope you appreciate my sacrifices, Kakashi."

"I'm sure you'll live. Besides, it doesn't matter what your hair looks like, you're more than attractive enough to manage to make anything look good on you." Kakashi would muse as that dark eye would look up at him, words causing all of the genin to gape at him as Ryosuke turned a bright red at his words, something that only made the silver-haired ninja chuckle, especially as he saw the delighted expression on Yuna's face.

Perhaps there was some truth to the rumors about Ryosuke having feelings for him after all.

* * *

"U-Um. I-Um. It's your turn to try the exercise now!" The flustered jonin would toss down three kunai towards the new genin and when the three would ask why Yuna, Yuuki, and Akio were not going to be doing the practice as well, he would simply gift them a smile.

"Well, to be brutally honest, they've already mastered this exercise along with the walking on water exercise. You three should know that we've been a team for two years already. That's why these three are so much older than you are. Not only that but all three of them specialize in fields where chakra control is not just a bonus but a necessity. They're going to be helping you with this as much as they can."

This information seemed to cheer up the three genin, something that made him chuckle softly. "Now you three, copy what I did and use the kunai to mark the tree when you can't go any further. Push yourselves to go past it each and every time you go up. Ready? Begin!"

The five ninja would watch team seven's attempt at the exercise, Yuna immediately moving to tend to Naruto when he fell straight on his head, only to be restrained by none other than Kakashi.

"He needs to learn from his mistakes Yuna, babying him by healing every single bump and scratch is only going to wear you out and teach my genin that they can make whatever mistakes they want so long as they have a medic around." Yuna's gaze would lower to the ground as she heard his words. "You're a very sweet girl and I appreciate your commitment to your chosen field but please do not heal them unless they get seriously hurt, alright?"

"I understand."

"Wow, the broody Uchiha did better than I thought he would." Yuuki's voice would disrupt the air as Sasuke landed back on the ground, only to hear Sakura's comment about how the exercise was easy and they would all look to find her already at the top of the tree.

Holy shit.

Whatever annoyance he might have felt towards the pinkette was completely forgotten as he would call out. "Well done! Even Yuna and I didn't get it on our first try and we were the top in our class at chakra control when we graduated!"

Maybe he underestimated her.

Kakashi would compliment her, goading on Sasuke and Naruto as he spoke, something that irritated both of the boys and sent them both running.

It was going to be a long day.

* * *

To say that things were tense at dinner time was a complete understatement.

The genin would watch in a mixture of horror and awe as Naruto and Sasuke raced to finish their food before asking for seconds, only to end up throwing up their food all over the floor, something that made Yuuki cringe in disgust before he would slide his portion of food over to Naruto. "You can have mine, Naruto-kun. I seem to have lost my appetite."

"Oi! Stop eating if you're going to keep throwing it back up! And Yuuki-san, don't encourage them by giving them your food!" Sakura would all but roar as she glared at the two boys in absolute disgust before they would make up some excuse about eating to get stronger which was immediately shut down by Kakashi.

What they were doing just wasn't healthy.

Things would relax and go back to normal until after dinner when Sakura happened to mention a torn photograph, mentioning that Inari had been staring at it all through dinner, which was enough to make Inari run away, upset. It was then that they were told all about Inari's problems and what had happened to Inari's father Kaiza.

The man Gato really deserve to die.

They would watch as Naruto would get to his feet, shaking before falling straight to the ground. Kakashi would tell him that he couldn't risk using up anymore chakra before Naruto would get to his feet again, swearing that he would prove to Inari that heroes did exist.

That boy was as stubborn as they came and yet,

Yuuki couldn't help but smile.

Somehow, he believed that since it came from Naruto, he would find a way to make it happen.

The boy was already changing him.

Oh goody.

* * *

So four chapters in and this is the first note I've left for you! I know that this chapter was pretty Yuna centric and that some of you are probably wondering when I'm going to get to the Gaara X Yuuki bit. I promise that I'm getting to it.

The reason that it's taking so long is that this story is going to serve as a starting point for the rest of my stories. There will be a total of five, starting with Leia. The other stories will branch off from here and while all stories will have Yuuki, Yuna, Akio, and Ryosuke in them, each story will be focused more towards one character in particular, meaning there will be five stories altogether.

Leia - Yuuki centric, focuses on Yuuki X Gaara's story.

Reon - Yuna Centric, Focuses on Yuna X Haku's story.

Eris - Akio Centric, Focuses on Akio X Sai's story (That one will likely be rated M for reasons)

Chikai ( Or Oath (Still debating on that one)) - Ryosuke Centric, Focuses on Ryosuke x Kakashi's story.

Soundless Voice - - Centric, - X Orochimaru's story.

I'm curious! If there are any of you who plan on sticking along for the journey, whose story are you most excited to read? Do you like the characters so far? Please let me know, I'm curious to see what you guys think.


	5. Chapter 5

Just a quick note that this chapter will be very heavily centered around Yuna and Haku. A good part of this chapter will be told from Yuna's perspective.

I also managed to sneak in a Kakashi and Ryosuke moment.

I hope you guys enjoy!

With that said, let's begin!

* * *

"Yuna~"

The soft voice from the depths of her memories would plague her yet again, causing her heart to ache within her chest as she recalled those warm brown eyes and that black hair as she thought about the childhood friend of hers that she had been forced to leave behind when her parents and her left Kirigakure all of those years ago.

She could recall the last time that she had seen him, dirty and starving, shivering from the cold and could recall the promise she had made to him as she had run off, promising to come back with her parents so they could all leave together.

Despite that, it was not meant to be.

By the time she managed to convince her parents that it was Haku that she had seen and they returned to where she had last seen him, he had already been gone and no amount of searching would help her find him. She hoped to god that wherever he was, he was happy, safe and healthy.

As long as he was okay, she would never ask for anything ever again.

* * *

It was a nice morning as she made her way through the forest, blue eyes carefully scanning her surroundings as she tried to find the boy who had not yet returned from training. It had been decided that she would be the best choice to search for Naruto and the minute that she had finished her breakfast she had immediately set out in search of the blonde, concern etching away at her heart.

She hoped that he hadn't pushed himself so hard.

It would be a few moments before she would find him sitting in the middle of the woods, picking herbs while speaking with a person who had long beautiful black hair and a pretty pink kimono. There was a moment of silence as Yuna would observe the new-comer with a cautious gaze, debating whether or not she should be worried about his safety.

Then the blond happened to see her and waved energetically with that warm smile of his. "Yuna-Chan! Come here real fast! You've gotta meet this nice lady I met! She let me help pick herbs with her, maybe she could help you collect some supplies! You did say that you needed to stock up on things, right?" Yuna would blink in surprise before her gaze would soften upon seeing the eager expression on Naruto's face.

He looked so much like a pup.

"Yes. You're right, I'm coming." She would muse softly before making her way over to the pair just in time for the person to stand and turn around, causing her to freeze in her tracks as those eyes would widen slightly.

He was not a girl, but a boy.

Immediately she would lower in a bow, cheeks burning from embarrassment as she would try to find the words to properly apologize for Naruto only to be silenced by a soft chuckle and as she would rise with a bewildered expression on her features, she was surprised to see pure amusement in the boy's eyes.

"Come now, Yuna. I know it has been a long time, but surely you haven't forgotten that I'm not so easily offended." The boy would speak to her with such familiarity that it almost scared her as she stared at him, trying to place where she might have known him from.

Black hair.

Brown eyes.

Her heart lept in her chest as her gaze turned from one of confusion into one of disbelief, that gaze softening immediately as tears came to her eyes, heart aching even more as she saw that that tender smile and those warm browns had not changed even the slightest bit.

This was him.

"Haku." She would breathe softly, moving closer to the boy before she would wrap him up in a tight hug, hugging her friend as if he might completely disappear once she released him. "I can't believe that it's you. I have so much to say to you. I'm so happy that you're healthy and okay. I-"

"Ehh? You guys know each other?!" Yuna's train of thought would leave her as she would turn her attention back to Naruto, an apologetic smile on her features as she would release Haku from her hug. "You could say that." She mused softly, blue eyes looking up at the slightly taller boy.

"We're childhood friends. We got separated when Yuna left the Land of Water." That reminder would cause the kunoichi to frown as she would turn her attention to Naruto once more.

"I'm sorry Naruto-kun. Do you mind giving us a moment? The others sent me to come and find you, at any rate, perhaps you should go back. I'll come back in a bit, I promise." She would smile as the blonde would grumble grumpily before moving to stand as she had asked to give them some time alone, just as she had asked.

"By the way, before you leave, Naruto-kun." Haku would muse with a sly smile, brown eyes sparkling slightly as the boy would look at him with a confused look on his features.

"I'm a boy."

The look on Naruto's face at the revelation was enough to make her burst out into laughter.

The look on his face was just too funny to resist.

* * *

Once Naruto had returned to Tazuna's house and she had managed to calm herself down completely, she found the patient gaze of her long lost friend focused completely on her and she would speak.

"Haku. Like I said before. I have so much that I want to tell you. The first is, that I did keep my promise. I came back for you with mother and father a few days later. It took me that long to convince them that I was not crazy and that it was you that I found but when we came back, you were nowhere to be found."

The amount of shock that were in those warm browns at that information almost stung and yet, the kunoichi would continue on.

"I searched for you for days. We all did because we wanted to bring you with us to the Land Of Fire and I'm so sorry that we ever stopped searching for you. The Tsukino were already aware of our disappearance and we had to leave."

They would have killed them if they had caught them.

"I just want to let you know, that there was never a day that passed, where I wouldn't think of you. I hoped and prayed that you were happy, healthy and most of all safe. That was all I wanted for you and I swore that I would never ask for anything again. But..here I am ready to break that promise. Haku. I don't know what you're doing here or why you are here. I don't know if I even still have a place in your heart as I did in the past. But, I would like to correct my mistake. I told myself I would at least ask you if I ever ran into you again."

She would hesitate for a moment, those blues lifting to meet those browns. "Please. Come to the Land Of Fire with me."

* * *

It would be a while later before Yuna would return to Tazuna's home, heart heavy and expression forlorn as she recalled Haku's answer to her.

_"Yuna. Thank you so much for everything. Knowing that you never forgot me, that I've been in your heart all of this time means everything to me. But, I am going to have to refuse. I have..someone very precious to me and I cannot just leave them. I hope that you understand."_

She did.

She understood so well and she knew that she had no right after everything to ask such a thing of him and yet;

Even so;

A part of her had selfishly hoped that against all odds that he would agree to come to Konoha with her.

The blue-haired woman would be so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she would not notice that blue eyes that watched her until she heard him speak. "Yuna. We were worried when Naruto came back without you. Yuuki and Naruto left again to try and find you a few moments ago, I'm surprised you didn't run into them."

It was Akio.

For a moment she would attempt to gather her thoughts, trying to think of what to say and how to say it to Akio before his soft voice would interrupt her thoughts as he spoke again. "Naruto said that you ran into someone that you knew in the forest. Who was it Yuna?"

"It was him."

"Him?"

"Haku, Akio. After all of this time, I found him here of all places." Those icy blues would widen upon hearing that name and immediately his features would form into something softer. "He's not here?"

"No."

"He's...not coming. Is he?"

"No. He's...not. He says that he has someone precious to him that he can't just up and leave." Her smile would falter and she would hesitate for a moment before speaking. "It was so selfish of me. I should not have asked. How could I even ask him to abandon his life here and just leave with me? I'm so foolish."

"Yuna."

"I mean. We haven't spoken since we were children. I should have known better. I can't believe-" She would trail off as she was drawn into a powerful hug, falling silent as her normally distant teammate would hold her.

"You're crying."

It was with that sentence that she could no longer contain herself, tears falling from her eyes as she would finally allow herself to release all of her pent up emotions.

Her precious person...had found someone even more precious to him then she had once been.

While she knew she was being silly, she couldn't help but cry.

It really did hurt.

* * *

As dinner would be served, the ninja would all gather around, silently eating their fill, Sakura and Kakashi worried about the two missing members of Team Seven while Yuuki and Ryosuke would occasionally gift Yuna a worried look when they believed she was not paying attention to what was happening around her.

Akio had told them about what had occurred in the forest and had warned all of them not to bring it up around her.

The quietness of dinner would be shattered when Naruto and Sasuke would finally make it to dinner, speaking about how they had finally made it to the very top of the tree, something that made Kakashi smile brightly at the two boys along with Ryosuke. "Excellent! Now you two along with Yuna and Akio can finally join in on guarding Tazuna at the bridge site."

That was enough to make Ryosuke beam as well. "That's great news, I was starting to get worried that Sakura, Yuuki and I were going to be the only ones seeing any action. Great job you two-"

It was then that Inari would speak softly to Naruto, asking him why he would work so hard until he got exhausted. He would go on to say that there was no way he would be a match for Gato even if he trained and that no matter how much effort he put in, that no matter what the things he said were, that the weak always lost against the truly strong.

It was then that Naruto would tell him to shut up, saying that he was nothing like Inari.

That seemed to be the straw that broke the camel's back.

They would watch in silence as Inari would scream out, telling Naruto that looking at him made him sick. He would tell him that they stuck their noses in without knowing a single detail about that land and would tell him that he did not act frivolously like Naruto before also saying that Naruto knew nothing about pain, something that made Naruto's expression grow dark.

Then he exploded.

He asked Inari if he was going to keep crying all day like some lead in a tragedy before going on to say that an idiot like him could keep crying for all he cared as he stood up and walked away, ignoring the scolding from Sakura and as Inari ran away, everything would remain silent before Kakashi would rise, gaze falling on Ryosuke.

"Come with me."

* * *

The two jonin would find the boy sitting alone at the pier staring out at the sea with a solemn expression on his young face and that was enough to make the black-haired man frown slightly as he would call out to the boy.

"Inari-kun?" The boy did not move nor did he acknowledge Ryosuke's call, something that made him sigh softly before he would give the child a weak smile. "Do you have a moment? Kakashi and I would like to talk to you if that's okay?"

The boy was still silent, so they would both take a seat next to the child, Kakashi taking initiative as he would speak about Naruto and the struggles that he had gone through, telling him that if anyone could relate to his feelings that it was Naruto. He would say that Naruto did not know either one of his parents and that he did not have a single friend.

He was so much like his own students that it wasn't even funny.

When Kakashi would say that the words that Naruto had said were definitely words that he had said to himself in the past, that golden gaze would soften before he would speak to Inari.

"What he says is true, Inari-kun. Sometimes, in life, it is the person who has the brightest smile who deals with the most pain." That surprised gaze was enough to make his gaze soften even further. "So please..don't say that Naruto-kun or anyone else for that matter do not know what pain is, alright?"

Inari would return home shortly after their talk and for the longest of moments, the two jonin would remain staring out at the sea in a comfortable silence before Kakashi would speak.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Since we've seen the ocean?"

"Since we've had a moment alone." The black haired ninja would simply shake his head with a chuckle, golden eyes finally moving to look at the man next to him, brow rising in amusement at the man's choice of words.

"Having kids tends to do that to people. Children keep people busy, it's a fact of life. Besides, why would you even want to be alone with me anyways? We've known each other for most of our lives at this point, what could you possibly have left to say to me that I don't already know?"

"You might be surprised."

"You're incapable of surprising me anymore Kakashi." He would deadpan, before yawning as he would move to stand.

"It's getting late. We should head home and get to bed if we're going to escort Tazuna-san to and from the bridge tomorrow." He would help Kakashi up and as they would head home he would contemplate just what Kakashi had meant all the way home and as they would get to their room, he would gasp as he felt the warmth of a pair of lips pressing against his cheek through the fabric of Kakashi's mask.

"I told you that you might be surprised." The tone that the silver-haired man used was playful and that dark gaze would hold a certain mischevious light in it as he would disappear behind the door, leaving a flustered Ryosuke behind.

Well played Kakashi. Well played.

* * *

The next morning would find them leaving Naruto behind, Kakashi convinced that the blonde had pushed himself to the point where he would not even be able to move and as they all left to go to the bridge, there was this sort of foreboding feeling in the air that would not seem to leave the group no matter what they tried to do to distract themselves from it.

Something was going to happen.

A frown would cross Yuuki's lips as they would get even closer to the bridge, the Genjutsu user allowing his chakra to switch to sensory mode as they would reach the bridge, only to find all of the workers knocked unconscious. Blue eyes would narrow slightly as his chakra would flare upon sensing two chakra signals, eyes shooting open as he recognized just who was responsible for all of this.

Son of a bitch, he hated the fact that he was right.

"Kakashi-Sensei, Ryosuke-Sensei. We have company. It seems as though Yuna was right after all. Zabuza is very much alive and it seems like his accomplice is here. At any rate, we're not alone."

The minute the words would leave his mouth, they would all be surrounded by mist once again and immediately they would surround Tazuna, protecting him on all sides once again.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, Kakashi and Ryosuke. I see that you both still have the brats with you. The dark one's still trembling poor thing." It was then that they were surrounded by water clones and Kakashi would give Sasuke permission to take all of the clones out, something that he did with ease before revealing that he had been trembling with excitement.

"So he could see the clones. The brat's grown a lot. This means a rival has emerged, Haku." The moment that the name was said, it was as if Team One's blood had gone cold and one glance at Yuna would show that the blue-haired girl was completely horrified, something that caused Ryosuke to gift the girl a pity filled gaze.

"Yuna. I'm sorry but it can't be helped. We need to put an end to them here if they won't back down."

Yuna would remain silent as she would move to the front of the group, ignoring the cries of her name and ignoring the amused gaze of their enemy as her gaze would remain focused on the masked boy.

"We finally meet each other again and I'm going to have to fight you and stop you. You've known this entire time that I was here to protect Tazuna. You've known I've been here this entire time. Why reveal yourself to me?"

Silence.

"Am I worth not even an answer to you Haku?"

"Stupid girl. Whatever bond you might have had with him is as good as broken. Haku is nothing more than a tool to use at my leisure." Zabuza's voice would drawl out before he would gesture to the masked boy. "As a matter of fact. I'll let you be the first to see just how loyal to me he is. Haku."

The boy would move silently, stepping in front of her with his senbon drawn only to be blocked by Sasuke's kunai as he moved to protect the girl. "Whoever this guy might have been to you, he's the enemy now. Kill your emotions and do what is necessary to complete the mission." Sasuke's voice was cold and unfeeling as he continued to block Haku's moves, Yuna's gaze never leaving the masked boy until a hand would rest on her shoulder.

Akio.

"Yuna. Protect Tazuna-San with Sakura. Yuuki and I will back up Sasuke. There's no reason for you to have to get involved." Akio would leer at the masked boy darkly before Yuna would shake her head, watching Sasuke and Haku go at it, wincing as Sasuke would manage to outspeed Haku and kicked him, sending him flying back towards Zabuza as he said that he was faster than Haku.

"My mission is to ensure that you guys live. I need to go where you go. If it means I have to fight him, then so be it. I will not turn my back on you guys."

Kakashi would speak, telling Zabuza that he could not let him get away with calling their teams brats. He would go on to say that Sasuke was the number one rookie in the village and that Sakura was the smartest.

"That means that the other three are useless then?" Zabuza's voice would mock the members of team one before his eyes would widen as a kunai was sent flying towards him by a Ryosuke who gifted the man an eerily sweet smile.

"Oh my, oh my. Such a brave soul to talk about my team that way. My team is far from useless. I just see no need to reveal their skills to you. Especially since your boy seems to know my girl." He would smile darkly as Haku would get up from the ground and when Zabuza would laugh, before telling Haku that at this rate he would be defeated by his intended victims, that golden gaze would narrow as he felt a spike in the boy's chakra.

Whatever he was about to do, this was not going to be good.

The Konoha ninja would watch as he would manage to create mirrors out of ice, trapping Sasuke in the middle before slipping inside one of the mirrors and as Kakashi and Ryosuke moved to try and help him, Zabuza would block their path, warning that he would kill Tazuna and Sakura if they tried anything, something that made Ryosuke's gaze narrow before he would fall back, standing by Sakura with his kunai drawn.

"Yuuki. Akio. Yuna. Go help Sasuke. It seems as though I'll be reduced to staying here and keeping that bastard away from Tazuna and Sakura. I have faith in you three." The three genin would nod at their sensei's words before body flickering over to the mirrors, Zabuza trying to intercept them before being stopped by Kakashi who would protect the three of them from his attack.

"Your opponent is me, Zabuza."

* * *

It would be a moment later that Sasuke's screams would begin filling the air as Haku would begin attacking him and Yuna's resolve would harden as she saw the damage that Haku was causing from the outside of the mirrors.

She would watch as Sakura would call out to Sasuke before throwing a kunai his way, only to have Haku manage to catch it. For a moment, everyone would remain still, fearing the worst before a shuriken would come flying out of nowhere, managing to knock Haku out of the mirror he was in.

"Yuna." The call of her name was enough to snap her out of it, the female ninja moving quickly over to Sasuke's side, eyes narrowing as she looked over the damage before quickly making signs, activating her medical ninjutsu as she began to heal Sasuke's wounds, eyes watching the form of Haku closely, ready to jump up and attack if need be, tensing as he got up and relaxing only when she realized that he seemed to be distracted by something.

Naruto had arrived.

Hopefully, he would distract Haku long enough for her to heal Sasuke enough for them to get out of here.

* * *

The purple haired illusionist was left speechless at the random appearance the blonde would make, eyes watching him as he announced himself for everyone to hear and see before he would move to make the shadow clone jutsu, Zabuza throwing shuriken at him only for Haku to save his life, something that made the illusionist's eyes narrow, mind racing before coming to a conclusion.

He didn't want them to be killed.

Which meant.

Those blues would fall upon Yuna, contemplating for the longest of moments, a smirk coating his features as his hands would begin weaving signs.

Hopefully, this would work.

At the very least it would teach the masked bastard a lesson he wouldn't soon forget.

* * *

Yuna would help Sasuke stand, eyes making sure that none of his vitals were injured before quietly murmuring. "Does it feel like he might have done any internal damage Uchiha-san?"

"No. There's no mistaking that he uses senbon but so far there's been no attempt by him to target any of my vital points." That information was enough to make Yuna's gaze narrow, unsure if he was simply playing with Sasuke or if he was really trying to spare his life.

Haku...just what was his true aim?

She would help Sasuke stand completely, ready to try and body flicker the both of them out of the mirrors when they would hear Haku apologize to Naruto for deceiving them before saying that deceiving was part of the shinobi way and asking him not to take it personally, something that seemed to set Sasuke off as he threw a kunai at Haku only for him to dodge without even having to look.

"I haven't forgotten about you." The mask would turn to face their direction and for a moment, he fell completely still as he saw his childhood friend supporting Sasuke, eyes narrowed into a fierce glare.

"Yuna. You...should not have gotten involved. You should have stayed away from my mirrors. I did not want to have to hurt you of all people." His voice sounded sad, as though the thought of her having involved herself truly did cause him pain and for a moment the kunoichi almost believed him before her gaze would narrow and her resolve would harden.

"That's why you came after me with your senbon the moment your master ordered you to do so. Right?" The remark would once again be greeted by silence before he would sigh softly.

"I will make this fast then. Naruto-kun. I'll get to you in a moment, followed by you two." He would turn his head towards Yuuki and Akio, pausing for a moment as he met Yuuki's eyes through the mask before disappearing quickly into the mirror, smirking.

If his hunch was right, Haku would lose the will to fight fairly soon.

If he was wrong, then,

He'd be the first one to throw his ass in there to get Yuna and Sasuke out of there.

* * *

The moment that Haku would appear in the mirrors once again, Sasuke would separate himself from Yuna, intending to make it more difficult for him to hit both of them at the same time. Eyes narrowing as he would reach for his kunai only for Haku to disappear and reappear in the mirror behind him, senbon drawn before he would attack both him and Yuna with his senbon.

At least, that was what he thought he was doing.

When the attack would stop he would turn his gaze over to Yuna and while she was damaged slightly from the attack, there was no denying that she was much better off than he was.

Haku was avoiding attacking her as much as he could.

That much was obvious.

It seemed as though Yuna caught on as well if the way her eyes narrowed was anything to go by. For a long moment, they would remain silent as they tried to figure out how Haku's mirrors worked before both of them would be rendered speechless when Naruto would end up inside the mirrors, grinning brightly as he claimed that he was there to save them both.

Well, shit.

* * *

Shit.

Shit.

Shit.

He did not think that Naruto was going to do that.

Yuuki would panic for a long moment, thinking about just what the hell he was going to do now that Naruto had run inside of the death trap, biting down on his lip roughly before sighing as his eyes narrowed.

He was going to have to go in there.

He could hear Sasuke and Naruto arguing from inside the mirrors and would take the moment to slip inside, using the distraction from their arguing to cast another genjutsu that was likely going to scar both Sasuke and Naruto for life, but was also going to be the only way all of them were going to get out of here alive.

Sacrifices had to be made.

He would swiftly and promptly shove Yuna from out of the mirrors towards Akio while creating the illusion that she was still in there with them. Wincing as he felt the attention turn to him before forcing a small smirk. "I thought I would try to use the noise that you two are making as a distraction to get Yuna the hell out of here but it seems as though I got caught. I'm sorry Yuna."

"It's okay. Thanks for trying. I'd rather be with you anyways." Oh, those were the words he had always wanted to hear from Yuna.

Of course, they had to come from a damn genjutsu.

The words seemed to spur something in the masked boy as he turned his gaze slowly in Yuuki's direction, senbon raised. "You're first."

Oh shit.

Abort,

Abort!

Sasuke would use that moment to try and melt the mirrors only for nothing to happen, Haku's voice coldly telling him that that level of heat would not melt the mirrors. He would then move to attack all of them, Yuuki left hissing from the pain once the attack was over, eyes glaring up at him as he cursed the stupid boy under his breath.

It was revealed by Haku just how it was his mirrors worked before it was revealed by Kakashi that what Haku had was known as a Kekkei Genkai, something that made him groan softly under his breath.

If this was anything like Ryosuke's Lava release, if his plan didn't work then they were screwed.

All he needed was for the boy to give him one good chance to activate his genjutsu.

That was all it would take.

* * *

Haku would take that moment to speak, saying that fully becoming a shinobi was difficult for him because he did not want to kill or be killed by them. He would go on to say that if they continued to come at him with everything that they had, that he would kill off his feelings with a sword and become a complete shinobi.

He would say that he wanted to protect the person who was dear to him and that for the sake of that person he would work and fight, something that made Yuuki scoff.

"For the sake of that person, you would keep an entire country impoverished. For that person, you would kill Yuna in cold blood when all she ever wanted to do was find you!" He would hiss darkly, glaring up at the other boy as he lost his temper, body standing despite his injuries.

"All she would talk about was the boy she was forced to leave behind and how much she wished for you to be doing well. She worried about you at every turn, wished for your health and happiness and swore that she would never ask for anything ever again if she could just see you one more time."

He would watch as Haku's gaze would turn to the illusion, who stayed silent, looking down at the ground and saying nothing.

"She came home crying that day after she met you. She felt so bad and selfish for asking you to come to Konoha with her. She called herself all kinds of horrible names because she thought that she was being an awful person but you manipulated her! If Zabuza is all that you care about then prove it. Strike us down here and now."

"For the sake of this person, I will kill you all."

He would raise his senbon once again and at that moment Naruto would decide to use the Shadow Clone jutsu, forcing Haku to get rid of the clones before he would attack Sasuke and out of the corner of his eye, he would watch as the illusion of Yuna would get to her feet, staring blankly ahead as if she was feeling defeated.

Good.

Naruto would use the Shadow Clone jutsu two more times and Sasuke would manage to burn the bottom of one of Haku's pant legs before the attacks would stop once again and Sasuke would tell Naruto to run and attack from the outside while the three of them attacked from the inside and as Naruto made to run away, Haku would kick him back into the middle of the mirrors before throwing senbon into Sasuke's arm.

They would attempt to do it a second time before he would manage to hit Sasuke in his leg and Naruto in his back and at this point, Yuna would move to walk in their direction, completely unnoticed as he planned, watching out of the corner of his eye as Sasuke began fending off all of Haku's attacks before grabbing Naruto and jumping out of the way, looking up to reveal that he had managed to activate his Kekkei Genkai.

Sasuke now had the Sharingan.

Yuuki would watch as Haku would move to target Naruto before smirking as his genjutsu would finally fall into place, Yuna moving in front of Naruto just as Haku went to make the killing blow before he would quickly morph his expression into one of horror, matching the expression on Sasuke's face.

It did just look like Haku made the killing blow on Yuna after all.

* * *

"Akio what the hell are you doing?! Let me go! I need to be there to heal them!" Yuna's blue eyes would turn around to glare at her teammate who was restraining her, stopping her from entering the battle.

"Yuna! I can't do that! We have to stay out of the way and Yuuki came up with a plan. For that plan to work, you cannot be seen by Sasuke, Naruto or Haku or anyone for that matter! Trust in me! They'll be fine!"

Yuna's body would stop it's struggling as she would turn around to look at her teammate, brow furrowing slightly. "A plan? Why didn't you guys include me in on this? I wouldn't have acted so rashly."

"Because Yuuki only came up with it after that dumbass Uchiha blew your chance to escape without Haku seeing you guys. He's using genjutsu to make Haku, Naruto and Sasuke think that Haku killed you. He seems to think that Haku has been trying to avoid attacking you and he's been trying to avoid fighting you at all. Just like he's trying to avoid killing. Yuna...as much as I hate to say it. I think...he might actually.."

* * *

Naruto would wake up to see a sight that made him feel sick to his stomach. Sasuke was standing a short distance away looking in his direction in absolute horror and as his gaze would lift, blue eyes would widen as he would see Yuna standing above him, back facing him with her entire body pierced with Haku's senbon.

What was even more shocking, was the fact that the masked Ninja simply stood there, almost as if he was in shock.

"Y-Yuna." Yuuki's voice was shaking as he would make his way over to her.

"Yuna. Why?" That voice came from the masked boy as he reached out for her, flinching away as her body collapsed to the ground, before reaching out for her again.

"I couldn't let you kill them. Naruto...and Sasuke. They're important to me...just like Zabuza is important to you. I may not have a place in your heart any longer but...you will always, always be in mine. Please...stop this. That's...all I ask." She would give one last smile before her eyes would fall closed and she would give her last breath before falling still.

"Yuna. Yuna?" The masked boy would become frantic, reaching out for her only for a dark growl to leave Naruto and immediately Yuuki would curse in his head as his wide-eyed gaze would watch as vibrant red chakra would surround Naruto before his eyes would become red and his pupils would become like a reptile's.

_**"I'm going to kill you!"**_

Shit.

Why couldn't his plans ever just go smoothly for once?!

* * *

The moment that that vibrant red chakra became visible, her heart would leap into her throat as she and Akio would watch the chakra take over the inside of the mirrors, swallowing roughly before she would speak.

"Akio. We should probably get over there. I don't think Yuuki's plan turned out the way he thought it might."

"Agreed. Let's go."

Hopefully, they wouldn't be too late.

They would reach the mirrors just in time for Naruto to send Haku crashing through one of them and immediately her heart would leap into her throat as she would move quickly, pushing chakra to the bottom of her feet to increase her speed before she would throw herself in between the slowly standing Haku and the enraged Naruto.

"Naruto stop!" Her eyes would close as she would see a fist heading towards her face, expecting to get hit only to open her eyes a moment later as she saw an enraged Naruto trembling as he held himself back.

"Yuuki. This isn't funny. She was your teammate! Dispel the genjutsu so I can give this guy what he deserves."

"Naruto, I'm not an illus-"

"Please...stop." The broken voice of her childhood friend would make her stop as she would gaze over her shoulder to look at the broken, dead gaze that he gifted to her. "If this is a genjutsu..this is too cruel. I've...lost one of my most precious people. I killed her with my own two hands and..I failed the other."

He would face them and his broken mask would fall completely off of his face, causing Naruto's eyes to widen. "You..You're from that time. You're supposed to be her friend! You..you tricked us and her! You killed her!"

"Naruto..." Yuuki's voice would break through the illusion as he would make his way out from behind the remaining mirrors, helping a very pissed off Sasuke who was looking anywhere but Yuna's direction.

"That's the real Yuna. Forgive me for catching you two in my genjutsu but I had to make it convincing for him to stop what he was doing. I figured that him thinking that he hurt her would be the only thing to make him stop and I was half right."

He just didn't expect Naruto to go all crazy.

His gaze would then turn to Haku who seemed stunned at what he was hearing. "You! Consider yourself lucky I only did this much to you! Considering everything you've done, I could have done much worse to you but I figured that this was punishment enough. That and I didn't want to traumatize Sasuke and Naruto more than I needed to."

" not believe that it is. Even if Yuna is okay..the fact that I failed Zabuza means that I'm useless, a broken tool that has no purpose. Please...Naruto, kill me." For a moment, everyone would remain silent before Yuna would turn around and much to everyone's surprise, she would deliver a swift slap to Haku's face.

"You! I don't know what is going on your head, but you are not a tool, you are a shinobi yes, but even more important than that you are a person! Your life has meaning and I never want to hear you refer to yourself as a tool ever again! You don't live for the sake of other people! You live for yourself and give yourself meaning, Haku!"

Yuna was furious.

"Furthermore-"

"Yuna. I think he gets it." She would glare at Yuuki who would hold his hands up in defense before sighing deeply, turning her gaze back towards Haku. "Haku. What you did was wrong. I know you know it. The person that you are working for is despicable. You're better off going back to the Bloody Mist if this is what you are doing. You..we are going to end this stupid and pointless fighting. You are going to go talk some sense into Zabuza and we're all going to go on with our lives, understand?"

"I-"

"Just say yes. It'll be much easier for you in the long run. Yuna's scary when she's upset and you've really managed to make her mad pretty boy."

"I understand."

"Good. Now how are we going to make Zabuza listen?"

"Um...guys. Kakashi-sensei's got Zabuza pinned down by a bunch of dogs and he looks like he's going to start doing some powerful jutsu."

"Zabuza-" A swift hit would be gifted to the back of Haku's neck and the boy would fall unconscious, an unapologetic looking Akio standing behind him as he fixed Yuuki with a deadpan look. "You managed to somehow make a fake Yuna and convince everyone that he killed her. Is there any way you can make a sleeping person look like a corpse?"

The smile on Yuuki's face in response was enough to creep everyone out.

* * *

"Kakashi-Sensei!" The injured Jonin would look to the right upon hearing his name called, relieved to see that all of the ninja were still alive even if they did look like they had been dragged through hell and back.

"We...managed to beat him but we weren't able to convince him to step down. We had to put him down." Akio's cold voice would cut through the air as he looked to the side before turning his icy glare on to Zabuza who merely stilled at the news, watching Yuuki lay the boy down in the middle of the bridge in front of him.

"So that's how it is. Haku was a good tool, in the end, he failed to beat you but he made himself useful." The careless way that he spoke about the boy that loved him so much was enough to rub everyone the wrong way.

But perhaps no one was more pissed off than Naruto.

"A tool?! Is that what you saw him as?! He really liked you! He did everything you asked of him, fought us and died for you to make your dream come true and all you can say is that he was a tool?!"

It was then that the bastard Gato would show up with a small army, mocking Zabuza as he was pinned down by the dogs and how he had been defeated before he would even go out of his way to kick Haku, saying that he had almost broken his arm, something that made Yuuki flinch slightly.

He'd have to apologize to him for that later.

It would be then that Naruto would move to attack Gato only to be restrained by a worn out Ryosuke. "Naruto-kun. Don't." Naruto would struggle in his hold, demanding that Zabuza say or do something as he struggled to get free from the golden-eyed man's grasp. "Naruto-kun while I understand how you feel...Zabuza-san isn't our enemy any longer-"

"-He is still my enemy! Haku didn't have any dreams! But he was happy helping you accomplish yours! Is this how people get when they get as strong as you? Because someone like him..someone like him dying as a tool. It's too much. Too painful." Naruto's tears would manage to hurt even Ryosuke who found his grasp slipping on him until he would yank himself free.

"Do you really not feel anything at all? Nothing?" It was then that Zabuza would tell him to stop talking, tears falling down his face as he confirmed that shinobi were human as well and that Haku was special.

Then he asked for a kunai, which Naruto tossed to him.

That was when the real party began. Everyone would watch with wide eyes as Zabuza would chase after Gato, taking down various ninja along the way before finally managing to track him down, stabbing him multiple times before sending him into the ocean and scaring off the other rogue ninja as he made his way over to Haku, surprised when Yuna would step forward.

"Listen, girl. I...am sorry for everything. I know that Haku was special to you and that you were special to him and if I could change anything I would-"

"There's no need for that. Come on. Let me heal you. Haku will be very upset if he wakes up and sees you all injured like that."

It was clear that Zabuza was confused.

"He's not really dead. He was pissing us off so we knocked him out and kept him under a genjutsu so he wouldn't wake up." Yuuki would drawl lazily before making his way over to him and kneeling down.

"Release!" The moment that the genjutsu was lifted he would all but shoot up, eyes widening when he saw the state of Zabuza, relaxing only moments later when he was told that he was okay and that Yuna would be healing him in a few moments.

The battle was finally over.

* * *

It would be a few days later that the bridge was finally completed and was dubbed, The Great Naruto Bridge and the two teams were getting ready to return home, saying their final goodbyes to the villagers as well as Haku and Zabuza.

Things were interesting to say the very least.

The two genin teams would watch with mixed reactions as Yuna and Haku would say their goodbyes, obviously not wanting to let the other one go but not knowing what to do about it.

"I can't believe Yuna likes him of all people. He's too much of a coward to ask if he can still come even though it's clear that he wants to."

"Hey! Knock it off, I think it's cute! Yuna and Haku are cute!"

"Hn."

"This is awkward..."

"Very much so. I feel kind of bad."

"Please don't be afraid to contact me if you ever need anything, alright?" She would hesitate to look up at those brown eyes before quickly averting her gaze. "Goodbye Haku. Take care of yourself."

With that said they would finally begin the long journey home.

* * *

"I can't believe you let her go."

"Zabuza-sama?"

"Haku...it's clear to me that you want to go with her. Why didn't you ask her if the invitation was still open?"

"After rejecting her the first time..and after everything that happened..I did not think that it would be appropriate. Plus, I don't want to just leave you-"

"Haku. You're a sweet kid, Naive but sweet. You have spent most of your life with me on the run at this point when you could have had a home this entire time. You've been wonderful company but I think your place is with her, not with me. So go to her. It should be easy enough into the village since you were never officially a mist ninja. Go and do me a favor."

"Anything Zabuza-sama."

"Don't lose to that purple haired pretty boy. He was glowering at you the entire time. If you lose to him, I'll never forgive you." The mere mention of Yuuki was enough to make the gentle ninja's smile become strained.

He did not like him.

"Zabuza..I...can never thank you properly for everything...are you sure that you will be okay? That this is okay?"

"I'm sure kid. Go live your life Haku." Haku couldn't stop himself from giving Zabuza a tight hug, surprising the taller man before he would his final goodbye.

He could never properly thank him for everything he had done for him but, he would start by doing as he asked.

He owed Yuna and Zabuza that much.

* * *

A soft sigh would leave the blue haired woman as she would trail behind the two teams, heart feeling a little heavy at the fact that she would be returning home alone but at the same time, happy that Haku was happy and healthy.

That was all she could ask.

"Uh...guys. Hate to break it you but we've got someone approaching us pretty fast." Yuuki would muse, eyes closing as he gifted a strained smile, a little bit irritated that they hadn't even been on the road for ten minutes and someone was already coming after them.

This was getting real old, real fast.

Imagine everyone's surprise when a familiar long haired shinobi would appear from the trees before landing soundlessly down by a confused Yuna. "Haku? What are you doing here? Did something already happen?"

"No...nothing like that. Yuna...I...was wondering if that invitation...was still open?" Yuna's brow would furrow slightly when she heard his words, a soft sigh leaving her before she would look up at her long lost friend.

"Haku. You don't have to do this. If you are happy with Zabuza, that's where you should be. I don't want you to come with me only for you to end up regretting it."

"Yuna-"

"Please...Haku I want you to pick where you want to go."

"Yuna. My place is with you. You...are precious to me. You have been since we were children and you always will be. I want to go with you. I want to be by your side. If you will have me, I promise that I will never make you sad or worried again."

"Haku..I'll say yes on one condition."

"What is that?"

"You need to live for yourself. Do things that make yourself happy. Don't just do what you think I want or what you think will make me happy. I want you to be happy as well. Promise me that much, please."

"I..promise." That smile that would light up the face of the medic was gentle and warm as she would hug the boy tightly. "Then come on, let's go home."

"I'll say it once and I'll say it again. I can't believe I lost to that guy. What does he have that I don't?"

"Hmm...he's got a Kekkei Genkai for one. He seems sweet if not a bit needy. He's strong and on top of that, he's got Yuna."

"..."

"Too soon?"

"Screw you Akio."


	6. Chapter 6

The moment that they finally returned to the Hidden Leaf, Haku had been taken into custody for questioning and interrogation while Ryosuke and Kakashi had gone to report to the Third Hokage, both seemingly at odds with one another. Kakashi had been slightly put off by the fact that Yuna had asked Haku to return to the hidden leaf with them, stating that such a thing was not good because if it ever got out that Haku had once worked with Zabuza, all of them would be in serious trouble. Ryosuke, on the other hand, had disagreed completely with Kakashi's fears.

"Kakashi. No one knows what Haku looks like. No one ever saw his face and we can easily tell them that Haku is another Yuna, running away from the brutality of the Blood Mist." He had spoken with a tired sigh, golden eyes watching the two as they spoke quietly with each other. "At any rate, I was not going to make her choose Kakashi. The village has always isolated her because of the fact that she was born in Kirigakure. If given the choice between the village and him, she would have chosen him."

They would have created a rogue ninja out of her for absolutely no reason.

Ever since the disagreement things had been scarily quiet between the two of them and as he and Kakashi would leave, he would tell them all to go home and get a good night's sleep because their training was going to start the first thing in the morning and he promised with a scary smile that it was going to be absolutely brutal.

Oh goody.

* * *

Ryosuke had not been lying.

Over the next few days, Haku had been released from interrogation and had been tested to see just where his skills were at. It was determined that the boy could have easily been made a jonin with his skills and speed, but protest amongst the elders had the Hokage deem that he needed to take the exams and pass like everyone else had to in the village before he was given a proper promotion. It was determined that he would start out as a genin and that, for the time being, he would be allowed to help Ryosuke train Team One until they managed to find a team for him to take the exams with.

That was fine with Ryosuke.

While Yuuki had not been thrilled to have the pretty boy joining their team to help with their training, he had to admit that he truly was skilled. Whatever issues they had with one another was forgotten as Haku would help him practice with his aim along with helping him strengthen his endurance and speed, along with his hand to hand combat. When it was seen just how badly Yuuki truly was at Taijutsu and just how weak he was, Haku had simply frowned.

"Your genjutsu skills are powerful, I will admit that much. But there will be times when you cannot rely solely on Genjutsu. You will either meet an opponent who is immune to it like Sasuke-kun is with his Sharingan. Or you will find another genjutsu specialist who will be able to see through anything you may try to use on them. It's best if you're at least passable with Taijutsu and ninjutsu as a last resort." Ninjutsu wasn't the problem, he would assure the long-haired boy.

Taijutsu was going to be a massive pain in the ass, however.

That statement was enough to make the boy smile sweetly as he would take out a scroll that looked oddly familiar, making him immediately anxious. "What do you have there?" He would ask, eying the scroll like it had done something to personally offend him, already not liking the direction in which this was heading.

That smile was foreboding.

"This? This is a scroll that Yuna made for me to help me with my Crystal Ice mirrors. She was kind enough to seal away quite a bit of water into a lot of scrolls so I would always have access to my jutsu in case I need them. I have quite a bit of them, so I'm sure that she won't mind me using one to help with your speed and your endurance. Now then, we're going to have a repeat of the battle in the land of waves and you're going to try your best to dodge whatever I throw at you. Good luck~"

His life sucked.

After he was essentially turned into the human version of a pin cushion, he was allowed to leave with the promise that he was going to be facing Haku in a taijutsu battle for training tomorrow, a soft groan leaving him as he thought about how the boy was essentially going to wipe the floor with him. He had been the very first to abandon the training fields, Yuna and Akio staying behind along with Haku and Ryosuke for additional ninjutsu training.

Ryosuke had tested them the day prior, to see what natures their chakra were and much to his and Haku's delight, Yuna had water while Akio had a fire nature, making it that much easier for them to be trained by the two of them since Haku also had water, while Ryosuke also had a fire nature.

Yuuki had once again been the odd one out, having lightning as his chakra nature.

Surprise, surprise.

* * *

He would return to his home after making a stop along the way to go and retrieve any mail that he might have gotten while he had been gone, a small twitch leaving him as he saw the various letters that had been sent to him from Sunagakure during his absence, wondering just how the hell those three had managed to find the time to write to him in between all of their missions and other responsibilities he knew they had.

Then again, he probably should have told them that he was going to be gone for an extended amount of time while he was on that mission because, for some reason, those letters always became panicked whenever he did not respond in a timely fashion and would not stop coming until he finally managed to find time to write them a reply and with a sigh, he would open the first of many, surprised to see that the sender of this particular letter had been none other than Gaara.

He...usually didn't send him letters.

For a moment, the purple haired boy was completely still as he stared down at the letter, blue eyes looking down and yet, not reading before they would close and with vivid clarity, he would remember the first time he had met the red-haired boy.

* * *

(**Eight years prior**)

It had been a normal day for the seven-year-old, reading the fairytale his mother had gotten him solely for the purpose of keeping him out of trouble while her friend came to visit them, a knock on the door causing the boy to twitch in irritation as those midnight blues would glare at the door as his mother would answer it, blinking in surprise when a pretty blonde man would enter their home, followed by a tiny red-haired boy. The adults would murmur quietly amongst themselves before looking back at Yuuki along with the red-haired boy who stared at him with shy teal eyes, something that made him twitch before an irritated smile would cross his lips.

"You know, I am sitting right here. If this is about me, which I am sure it is with the way you guys keep looking at me, you can just tell me." His blunt tone was enough to cause the sandy blonde to gape at him slightly in surprise while his mother would simply laugh nervously at his reaction.

"You see what I mean Yashamaru? Yuuki has always been a bit different than other children his age. My hesitation was for Gaara's sake, not my son's. I'm worried he might hurt Gaara's feelings and we can't have that. He's too cute to be hurt by my bully of a son." She had cooed sweetly at the red-haired boy, smiling as he blushed before he would once again turn his gaze onto Yuuki, who had twitched at the remark before giving a cute little pout as his gaze returned to his book.

It was then that little Gaara would gather up his courage and would leave the adult's side, making his way over to the table where Yuuki sat, squeezing his bear tightly as he would look up at the slightly older boy until the boy would look down at him with a brow raised. "Can I help you?"

"Um." The boy would speak softly, looking down at the floor shyly, gathering up even more courage before he would meet Yuuki's amused gaze. "You're really pretty, just like your mommy! I-I want to play with you and be your friend. Can I?" That pleading teal gaze was enough to melt the sarcastic child's heart and he found himself unable to say anything but yes.

It had been the start of a beautiful friendship.

Gaara had been the only child that Yuuki was willing to put up with for longer than a few seconds and as such, his mother Raiza, was more than delighted to have Gaara over as often as she possibly could, determined that she would make Yuuki socialize with at least one person, even joking that she would make sure that Yuuki would marry Gaara if it came down to it just so he wouldn't die alone. "You and Gaara will be just like me and your father." She would often joke around the two of them.

The only thing was, Gaara didn't see it as a joke.

The five-year-old had been delighted with the idea that he might one day marry his best and only friend, talking about it nonstop and even making the two of them have a pretend wedding one day in the comfort of his own living room. His amused mother and father and Gaara's siblings being the only guests along with Gaara's teddy while Yashamaru played the role of the priest.

They even had rings.

Everything had gone perfect up until the day that he was told that they were going to be leaving Sunagakure for Konoha by his father, the stern expression on his face enough to quell any protests from the purple-haired boy as everything in their house was packed up and taken to the leaf village.

Poor Gaara, however, had had no problems showing his displeasure.

On the day that they were to leave for good, Gaara had clung to Yuuki, crying his eyes out as he wailed about his 'husband' leaving him all alone and it was all he could do to comfort the sobbing redhead, a hand rubbing at his hair while his mother watched, a frown crossing her lips before she would slip a piece of paper into Yashamaru's hand.

Their address in Konoha.

"Give it to Temari and Kankuro as well. It's not fair that the children have to suffer because of the Kazekage's actions. Gaara-kun won't lose Yuuki, I promise that if he writes to him, I'll make sure Yuuki keeps in touch."

She wasn't lying.

The first time he had gotten a letter from Gaara and his siblings, she had made him reply and send out the letter an hour after he had first received it which prompted a response the very next day.

That was how the tradition started.

Then at some point a year later, the letters from everyone had suddenly stopped for some reason. He had kept waiting and waiting for his letters, waiting weeks and weeks only to receive nothing and slowly hope would fade away.

Then he got a letter out of the blue from Temari, continuing off of his last letter as if nothing had ever happened and Kankuro would send a letter the next day and the pattern would continue as if it had never stopped. He would find out that the reason the letters had stopped was that Yashamaru had died in the middle of some mission and that Gaara was the one who had taken it the hardest and while he did understand as much as an eight-year-old could understand, something still bothered him.

Why was he not hearing this from Gaara himself?

While he loved Temari and Kankuro as if they were his own older siblings, it was no replacement for having proper communication with his best friend. He would receive small updates about the boy that he had once been so close to whenever he asked and yet, it simply was not the same. It would not be until his tenth birthday when he received the news that his parents had both been killed on what should have been a C-ranked mission that he would hear from Gaara again.

Grief upon hearing the news that his parents had left him all alone in the world had caused him to shut himself off completely. The ten-year-old left numb and alone as he ignored each and every single one of the letters that Temari and Kankuro sent. He ignored how often they came, ignored them when they started sending frantically and then one day, he would receive a letter from the one person he thought he would never hear from again.

Gaara.

The words had been messy and the writing had been childish and yet, the words were so unlike anything the Gaara he had once known would ever say to anyone, cold and to the point, with not a trace of warmth to be found.

_Yuuki,_

_We have tried to reach you with no success. Now I'm getting involved. Respond to our letters or I will come and find you and when I find you, I will drag you back to Sunagakure._

_This is where you belong, after all._

_You have three days before I come and get you._

_\- Gaara._

Needless to say, he had quickly responded to the letters, letting them know what had happened and why he had not been responding, ensuring them that he was okay and that they did not need to come to the hidden leaf for him.

That had been the last time he had been warned about not responding to the letters they sent.

* * *

(**Present Day**)

A soft sigh would leave the fifteen-year-old as his gaze would fall upon the letter, swallowing roughly as a feeling of apprehension would come over him before he finally forced himself to read Gaara's words.

_Yuuki,_

_Since you have decided to disappear again despite my last warning, it can no longer be helped. I will be coming for you. We will be coming to Konoha for the Chunin Exams and once we have completed them, you will be returning to Sunagakure with us._

_You have nothing to hold you there any longer._

_We will be there in three day's time._

_Be prepared._

_Gaara._

For a moment he would completely still, gaze looking down at the parchment trying to get a clue as to when this was sent only to find absolutely nothing that would give him any indicator of when Gaara had written or sent the letter to him only for his heart to begin racing. Depending on just when this letter was sent, Gaara and his siblings were either on their way to Konoha or they were already here and probably in the process of trying to find his home using the address they were given.

Perhaps it would be smart to use Genjutsu to hide his address for the time being.

* * *

Whatever his concerns were, they were completely forgotten the moment he would arrive at the training grounds and would come to find that Haku and Ryosuke were already there waiting for him and that Yuna and Akio were nowhere in sight. "Yuna and Akio were given the day off today after they finished their training yesterday. Yuuki, Haku told me that you were even worse with Taijutsu than I had originally thought. I just wanted to apologize because I feel like I let you down as your sensei. I know that you were always going to be a genjutsu based ninja so I wasn't too worried about ensuring that you were balanced in the areas that you are weak in which was an error on my part."

"There will be times when my genjutsu will not work on people, so I should be more balanced, I get it. But I guess I always believed that since ninja are usually sent to do missions and stuff on teams that my lack of skill in taijutsu wouldn't really matter. But things do happen, what happened to my parents should have been an eye opener, but it wasn't. I'm not the strongest ninja, I don't think I ever will be, but if I can get to the point where I can hold my own in a taijutsu battle, I think that I'll be happy." That was enough to make Ryosuke and Haku look at each other before smiling.

"Well said. With that said, I think that any style you use will have to be fast and effective. So you are going to watch closely as Haku and I fight, we are going to show you the fastest and most effective way to disarm someone in the least amount of time. Then you're going to spar against Haku and I. We will not stop until you've managed to properly beat either one of us.

If he was going to recommend his team for the Chunin exams this year, he needed to make sure that Yuki learned how to properly defend himself in a battle just in case he managed to make it into the final stages of the exams and happened to be pit against either a Hyūga or Sasuke, which was a very real possibility.

He refused to just let Yuuki get beat.

* * *

To say that he was sore was perhaps the biggest understatement he could ever have made. While he knew that Haku wiping the floor clean with him in a one on one Taijutsu battle for hours on end was meant to help him in some way or another, he simply could not help but become frustrated with how advanced the boy was in almost every single way.

The only thing he had on him was his genjutsu.

A soft sigh would leave the purple haired boy as he recalled the less than honest way he had finally managed to beat the boy, having seen an opportunity to trip him and taking it before pouncing on the stumbling boy as he attempted to catch his balance, kunai drawn and held at his throat as he clung to his back so tightly that he would not have had a chance to shake him off even if he hadn't had the kunai at his throat.

Was it dirty?

Yes.

But it helped him win and at that point, he was starting to question if there was a way he would be able to incorporate tricks and evasive tactics into his Taijutsu to help wear his opponent out before he would finally be able to strike. It might not be the most honorable way of fighting an opponent, but then, since when did he really give a shit about honor?

He was a genjutsu user for Kami's sake, his whole battle style revolved around tricks and illusions to help him get ahead of his opponent using any means necessary.

A soft sigh would leave him before he would jolt forward in surprise as he felt a hand move to clamp down on his shoulder, body jolting forward before he would quickly turn around only to see the smirking face of the Uchiha heir, something that made him sigh softly before he would speak. "Can I help you with something Sasuke?"

While he still was not overly fond of the boy, the fact that he had so quickly come to defend Yuna when push came to shove was enough to win him a grudging amount of respect from the genjutsu user, even if he had threatened to set his ass on fire for having him believe that one of them had died during the battle with Haku.

At least he had defended them.

"Hn. I've been looking for you for the better part of a half hour. Where were you?"

"My sensei thought that it would be a good idea for me to brush up on some Taijutsu, so he had me fight with him and Haku over at the training grounds until I managed to beat one of them."

"I see. At any rate, I need your help. I want to test out my Sharingan and see how it perceives genjutsu. It's supposed to see through things like genjutsu and yet, you were still able to fool me in that fight against Haku. I'm curious to see how you were able to do that. If anything, this will help you out as well."

It would help him create a genjutsu capable of fooling even the Sharingan.

"I'll help you, though it's going to have to wait until some other time, I'm a bit too worn out from my training to do any more of it. Was that all that you needed?"

"I wish I could say yes. Yuna happened to come across us when we were coming back from completing a mission and mentioned something about a tradition you guys on your team have where you have dinner at one of your houses? She was under the impression that since we were all on a team at one point that it meant that we should be included as well. She told me that it's supposed to be held at your home tonight and asked me to remind you."

Yeah, that sounded like Yuna alright.

He had been about to respond when a sudden yell was enough to completely distract him and Sasuke, eyes narrowing before they would look at each other, nodding slightly before body flickering in the direction the yell had come from, both of them watching from a tree like a ninja covered in black held the Hokage's grandson up by the collar of his shirt.

Eyes would narrow as he would find Naruto sitting on the ground, Sakura looking worried along with two kids and imagine his surprise when Yuna and Akio both happened to be there as well, Yuna looking about ready to strike at the black covered ninja and for a moment his gaze would narrow as he thought about the best way to interfere before his gaze would fall upon his companion, a girl that looked strangely familiar to him and as his gaze fell upon the headband tied around her neck, his jaw would drop.

Temari.

That meant that the boy in black had to be none other than Kankuro, their letters having informed him that the three siblings were on the same team and at that moment his smile would become irritated as he would make his presence known.

"My, My. I never thought you of all people would stoop down to beating on kids." The ninja's gazes would all shoot up to look at him and Sasuke, who had taken to sitting on the branch and the more that he continued to watch, the more irritated that he would become before he finally couldn't hide his irritation any longer. "That's a new low, especially for you, Kankuro-nii. Now drop him before you get into serious trouble for assaulting the Hokage's grandson."

The reactions that came over the ninja's faces when he said his name were absolutely priceless.

"Yuuki, you know him?!"

"Why does that somehow not surprise me?"

"How the hell did you know my-did you just call me Kankuro-nii?" The purple haired ninja would simply smile in response, watching as those eyes widened before he would drop Konohamaru unceremoniously, the child forgotten as Kankuro's entire expression would shift. "Yuuki! I was wondering just when the hell we'd run into you! You've grown so much since the last time I saw you! Last I remember you were being roped into marrying Gaara."

Oh god, he had to bring that up.

The stares were enough to make him duck his head as his cheeks would burn from the intensity of his blush before he would body flicker down, smirking at him. "You've grown too, though I can't say I approve of you manhandling Konohamaru." That was enough to make the black-clad ninja scoff before he would turn his gaze to Temari, that smirk turning into a smile.

"Hello to you too Temari. Kankuro you should thank your sister, she's the only reason I didn't lock you in a genjutsu I recognized her right away." That was enough to cause the blonde woman to smirk at her brother who simply rolled her eyes in response before a cold voice was enough to have everyone fall completely silent.

"You should have. He's been an embarrassment to our village since we've arrived." Immediately Yuuki's body would tense as he felt an intense gaze on his back, slowly turning around to find a very familiar red-headed boy hanging upside down from the same tree he had been in only moments before.

Gaara.

He would disappear in a barrage of sand before reappearing a few feet away from him, fixing him with an intense gaze as he would move closer to him, standing so close to him that they were almost chest to chest, that stare almost unnerving the older boy as he would avert his gaze with an almost nervous laugh.

"Ah, hello Gaara. Long time no see. I'm sorry for not responding to the letters...there was this whole thing with a mission and keeping this bridge builder alive and the mission turning from a C-rank into a B-rank in the middle of it all and yeah, I may have forgotten to let you guys know I was going on a mission-"

"Yuuki." That single call of his name was enough to cause the purple haired ninja to immediately fall silent as his gaze would lift, brow furrowing as he met Gaara's gaze. "I meant what I said. You belong in Suna." He would move even closer, the next words were spoken so quietly that even Yuuki had a hard time hearing him. "This village has made you unloyal. Don't think I haven't heard about what you've been up to in your letters. Have you forgotten the vows we made?"

Wait, what?

For a moment the purple haired boy would look at Gaara with a look of complete confusion as he tried to process just what it was that he was talking about right before he would speak again. "Speaking of which. Which of you girls is Yuna Tsukino?"

They didn't.

A betrayed look would move towards Kankuro and Temari who would both simply avoid his gaze as Gaara's attention would turn towards the two females of the group, staring at both of them with a cold gaze before Yuna would swallow roughly, steeling her resolve as she would step forward. "I am. Though I don't see why you're asking for me of all people."

Teal would clash with blue for the longest of moments and Yuuki would watch as his hand would move, blinking in confusion as Gaara would grab onto his shirt of all things before yanking him forward and down by his shirt, causing the purple haired boy to stumble forward a few steps.

"Gaara what the he-" He was interrupted before he could finish his sentence, eyes widening as he felt a pressure on his lips and immediately his entire face would turn red as he registered just what the hell was going on.

Gaara he had-

Before he could even properly react, Gaara had pulled away from him, shooting another cold look at the stunned kunoichi. "I am only going to say this once. Yuuki belongs to two things. The first being Sunagakure. The second being me." The stuttered protests would be pointedly ignored as he would release Yuuki's shirt. "Interfere with my claim on him and you will answer to my sand."

Wait, what?

"Ga-G-Gaara! Y-You can't just-"

"I just did. Deal with it. Kankuro and Temari, we're leaving. Yuuki." That cold teal gaze would meet the stuttering illusionist once again. "Remember that I'm always watching. I meant everything I said, behave or there will be consequences."

Oh shit.

Yuuki would be left watching the three leave in complete stunned silence before he would feel the weight of gazes on his back, swallowing roughly before he would turn around to meet the stunned gaze of Naruto, Sakura and the children along with the very amused gazes of his teammates.

They wouldn't dare.

"I didn't know that the penpals you had were your boyfriend and his siblings Yuuki. He's cute and he seems to be very...protective over you." The comment would be enough to cause the illusionist to turn a bright vivid red as he would sputter in his attempt to deny everything she had just said only for Akio to join in.

"I used to think that you were a pervert who enjoyed preying on defenseless women. Now it all makes sense. I wonder what he would do if he knew just how many girls you've flirted with over the two years we've been a team."

Oh god.

* * *

The rest of the night would be absolute hell for him, with the silent snickers and the constant reminder that Gaara had essentially claimed him as his territory in front of his teammates. Something that made Ryosuke nearly bust his gut laughing when he was filled in about what had happened with the sand ninja.

"Oh, you are never living this down Yuuki. All the shit you've given me over the years. I am never forgetting this." That was enough to make Yuuki twitch, glare turning on his sensei who was shaking from the force of his laughter before turning his glare on Sakura and Naruto who were trying their hardest to keep their laughter in. Sasuke was the only one who didn't seem to find what had happened funny.

For some reason that was enough to make him like him better.

"Sensei! Stop teasing me, it's not funny! If you're this amused over what happened that just means you don't have anything going on in your own life! Go find Kakashi and do what Gaara did to me, let's see if it's still funny!"

That was enough to make everyone fall silent again for a moment before Naruto would speak up, clearly confused. "Eh? Why would Ryosuke-sensei plant one on Kakashi-sensei for?" The blonde would look at the gaping Jonin for the longest of moments before Yuna would chuckle softly.

"Naruto, Ryosuke-sensei has been in love with Kakashi-sensei ever since they were kids. Practically everyone in the village knows that by now. Did you guys truly not notice?"

Judging by the look on their faces, they didn't.

"It's alright. You three aren't the last to find out, despite our sensei being completely obvious, it seems as though your sensei hasn't figured it out either. Though how he hasn't is beyond me." The purple haired ninja would mutter softly before turning his gaze back to his sensei, face losing it's color when he saw the signature smile that meant that his sensei was going to kill him.

Tomorrow's training was going to suck, he knew that much.

* * *

After their dinner was over and the ninja would file out one by one, he would pull Yuna to the side, gifting her a sheepish smile. "So two things. One I'm really sorry about what Gaara said, I have no idea why he did that but I am sorry. Two, I need a favor. Do you think you can seal away some important things in some scrolls for me?"

The blue haired girl would immediately smile, waving off his apology before that smile would grow as he would ask her to seal things away for him. "Of course. What kind of seal did you need exactly?"

"I need something like a storage scroll but more secure that way the only one who can use it is me. They're really important to me." Yuuki would speak softly, gesturing for her to follow him and when they would reach what was once his parent's bedroom, opening the door and allowing her to see what it was that he had been up to.

There were paintings everywhere.

"Yuuki...these are...How did you get the colors to be so vibrant? They almost look like they're ready to come to life." Yuuki would remain silent for a long moment as he would select the paintings that he wanted, offering them to her before speaking softly. "I infused the paint with my chakra. The colors are so vibrant because my life energy is infused into every single color you see. Every work has a literal piece of me inside of it. I need you to seal them into a storage scroll for me because I plan to incorporate some of these into my genjutsu."

He had been working on this jutsu for a long time.

It was time to put it to practical use.

* * *

When morning would come, Team One would once again find themselves at their designated training grounds, surprised by the sight of a strangely cheerful Ryosuke, those golden eyes shining brightly as he took in the faces of his genin before speaking. "So. I have some news for all of you. I have decided that you are ready to move on this year. I spoke with Hokage-sama and recommended that you three take the exams this year. You guys have grown so much since the Land of Waves incident and I finally believe that you three have the potential to become Chunin."

He would smile warmly at them before continuing on." Of course...it's up to you whether you guys decide to act on my recommendation or not. Here are your applications and if you decide to take the exam I would recommend that you guys spend these next five days preparing and stocking up on whatever supplies you might need. You three will be expected to show up at room three hundred and one at exactly three in the afternoon. That's all I have to say, you guys are free to go."

It was with that that he would disappear and for a moment, all was silent.

"He was in a good mood."

"A very good mood."

"Something must have happened. I doubt he'll tell us anytime soon though." He would feel the glares on his back and would chuckle softly, rubbing the back of his neck before deciding to ultimately change the subject. "So, are you two going to take the exams? I think it would be a good idea if we all tried to stick together. What do you guys think?"

"I'm with you. I am ready to take the exam, this is what we've been practicing for ever since we became Genin. If sensei thinks that we're ready then surely we must be ready. Besides, we've got the ace in the hole since we have a medic on our team and if worst comes to worst, I'm sure Haku wouldn't be opposed to helping us too."

"Team Seven would be good to be allied with as well. I just have a feeling that helping each other out will be good in this exam. I think I'm going to study up on my mother and father's books to see if I can learn anything else that might help us. I think we will be just fine."

"Yeah...let's just hope that none of us have to fight each other." Yuuki would murmur quietly, brow furrowing as his thoughts strayed to the final person in his thoughts that he hoped he did not have to fight.

Gaara.

He might have changed, but he was still his friend.

He really hoped that he would not have to fight him.

He didn't stand a chance against him.

That much was certain.


	7. Chapter 7

"I just don't get it! How the hell am I unable to see through your genjutsu?" Yuuki was left smirking at the frustration the Uchiha male showed on his features as he all but threw a tantrum. It was something that was not only amusing for the Genjutsu user to watch, but something that let him know that he was on the right path. He might actually have a chance at beating Sasuke if he was ever selected to fight against him.

That was reassuring for him to know.

"Sasuke, you do know that I am not your average genjutsu user right? I am also a sensor which allows me to get a feel for things better than most others can. Every living thing has chakra in it and I am lucky enough to be able to sense it." He would smirk at the confused look on Sasuke's face before moving to continue on with his explanation. "I can sense and feel out another living thing's chakra Sasuke. Once I get a feel for how a thing should be and have come to realize how exactly something should look or feel, I incorporate it into my genjutsu. The reason why you cannot see through them right off of the bat is because I weave layers into my illusions and I leave no details out. So to speak."

That is where he had the advantage.

"Most people cannot get a feel for a person's chakra the way that sensors can and because they don't know how to replicate it, they don't-" He would start before realization would make itself clear on the Uchiha's face as he started to understand just what Yuuki was trying to say.

"That's why people with Sharingan can usually see through genjutsu because we can see if a person's chakra is distorted and usually act on the knowledge that if it is that it has to be a genjutsu. But since you have an understanding of how chakra is supposed to feel and look, you're able to replicate it and use that in your illusions. That's what makes it so difficult." It also meant that Yuuki would be a very difficult person for him to fight if it ever came down to that.

Something that he honestly wasn't expecting.

"Well if it helps Sasuke, you have the rest of three days to try and figure out something to help you see through my illusions. Though, I think you'll find that I do have a few more tricks up my sleeve just in case you do happen to get through them." Yuuki would give his signature smile before turning away from that curious look, knowing the black haired boy wanted him to continue divulging his secrets. "At any rate, good luck Sasuke. I hope all of you do end up deciding to take the test, it'll be easier to get through them with your team there to support you."

"Tch. Naruto maybe since as much as I do hate to admit it, the idiot has been improving but Sakura? She's little more than useless. She adds nothing to the team and she does nothing but fawn over me, it's annoying." That was enough for him to shake his head, that smile becoming strained as his blues would narrow slightly as he turned to face Sasuke who would continue his statement, though this time about his team. "You're a genjutsu user and a sensor who is average in everything else but Taijutsu and even then you said that you've been training so you can defend yourself if push comes to shove. Akio is excellent in Ninjutsu and Taijutsu and has good chakra control. He's bad with genjutsu but he's got you and Yuna to help him out there and he's capable enough to get himself out of trouble if he runs into one. Yuna is arguably the weakest member on your team but even then she is capable because she can use her medical ninjutsu offensively as well as to heal. She's also got the fact that she can use Fūinjutsu and can seal things along with whatever else she can do. You are lucky because your team is balanced."

He had been about to say more before Yuuki would interrupt him with that strained smile dropping completely from his face. "Sasuke, you should never speak badly about your teammates to anyone, especially not to someone who could be fighting against you in the exams. I understand where your frustration may be coming from, but and this is a major thing, you should never and I do mean never, look down on your team. They will be the ones that you fight with and the ones that will end up protecting you if things go badly. You should be ashamed of yourself."

He would let those words sink in for a moment before he would continue where he had left off. "I'll let you in on a little secret, back when we first became a team I didn't like Yuna or Akio either. I thought Yuna was too soft and that she would be ultimately useless on our team and that Akio was a stumbling dumbass who would never grasp onto even the most basic of skills. Then one day, I was targeted by some idiots who thought it would be funny to make fun of me because my parents died on a supposed C ranked mission. Do you know what happened?"

Sasuke said nothing.

"Yuna heard what I said and sent one of those punks flying with her chakra scalpels. It was the maddest I have ever seen her even now. Even calm and rational Akio got angry on my behalf and attacked one of them who didn't learn his lesson after Yuna had already sent one of them flying. They defended me and stood up for me even though I looked down on both of them and treated them badly."

They had not turned their backs on him.

He would see the surprise on Sasuke's face and that smile would return. "Don't underestimate them Sasuke. Give them a chance and they might just surprise you. Especially Sakura. I have a feeling that even if she might seem little more than useless to you right now, that she'll ultimately become a powerful kunoichi once she decides to settle down and focus." Maybe he would ask Yuna to take her aside and teach her just a few medical skills just to get her started.

He had a feeling that she would be a good medical ninja.

Just like Yuna.

* * *

After he had parted ways with Sasuke he would go to the town's center to get completely stocked up on whatever it was that he might need in order to help him with the Chunin exams. "Alright, I have energy bars and snacks. Kunai and shuriken. Scrolls. A few changes in clothes for everyone, bandages, and medicine in case we get separated or in case Yuna's chakra gets too low to heal us. I think we are se-" He would freeze as he felt a very familiar gaze on his back and would release a shuddering sigh before he would turn and would meet that familiar teal gaze.

Oh, for fuck's sake.

For a moment he would contemplate just turning around and walking away, wondering just how angry that would make the sand user until he saw those eyes narrow slightly and for a moment he wondered if the redhead was capable of reading his thoughts before deciding that he might as well resign himself to his fate, especially as that teal gaze seemed to be challenging him.

'Just try and run.' It seemed to say.

'You know I'll catch you before you get too far.'

"Gaara...what brings you here?" He would nearly wince at his own words, thinking about just how stupid he must have sounded before turning his attention back to the red-haired boy who seemed to look almost amused with how he had chosen to approach him.

"Is that how you approach everyone you flirt with or am I just the lucky one?" Gaara's raspy voice would wash over his senses and for a moment he felt almost wounded at the implication that Gaara thought he wasn't capable of better before his gaze would narrow slightly, a smirk forming across his lips as an idea came to his mind that would not only prove Gaara wrong but would also pay him back for the kiss he had sprung on him in front of everyone.

God, he hoped this would work.

"Do you think you deserve any better? I mean, you did threaten my teammate's safety and all despite the fact that she has done nothing wrong." He would drawl sardonically, looking at his nails before meeting Gaara's gaze to see that the man looked less than amused by his words and even more so by the fact that he had brought up Yuna, who he could already tell Gaara didn't much care for.

Jealousy was a bitch~

"I did not threaten her. I made a promise that she would have to answer to me if she tried to interfere with my claim on you. You have been mine since we were children and I do not plan on that changing." Gaara's bright teal gaze would darken at the mere thought of someone trying to take him and that was when Yuuki decided to make his move.

"Now now Gaara." He would move close to the boy who was clearly taken aback and yet for some reason, he did not call his sand to defend himself, just as Yuuki had been hoping he wouldn't. Closer and closer he would move, even allowing his hand to slowly reach up to gently caress the boy's cheek, honestly surprised that Gaara was even allowing him to touch him before he would lean down and in, breath brushing teasingly against Gaara's lips. " There is no need to be jealous of anyone, especially not Yuna. You know that no matter who I flirt with that you're the one I've always loved the most."

He didn't miss the coloration in Gaara's cheeks, something that almost made him smirk before he would go in for the kill. Lips would hover over Gaara's for a few seconds before changing course as he would allow his lips to brush against the cheek he had been touching only a few moments before, winking playfully at him, before laughing and body flickering away as he heard the noise that Gaara made when he hadn't actually kissed him.

It was pretty cute, actually.

Maybe he would stop flirting with girls and focus his attention on Gaara after all. If it meant that he could get him to blush and make that noise every single time he chose to tease or flirt with him then he was almost certain that it would be worth the effort on his part. Then again, he would be doing just what Gaara wanted him to do, to begin with, and would be playing right into Gaara's hands.

That boy was lucky that he was cute or he'd be a lot more upset about his situation than he actually was.

* * *

Before he knew it, it would be time for them to meet up at the academy to take the exam and as he would approach the academy, he would smile to see that Yuna and Akio were both already there waiting for him. "Hey you two, I hope you weren't waiting long." He would smile sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck before smiling as Yuna would shake her head before rummaging through her pack and pulling out five scrolls for each of them and handing them to them. "Here you guys. Two of these scrolls are storage scrolls that have canteens filled with drinking water. There's a total of ten in each just in case we need them. One of them has extra weapons. One has food and the last one has medical supplies like bandages and medicine in case we get separated. They work the same way as my normal seals do and to activate the seal again you just pour a bit of your chakra into it and it should make everything disappear back into it again." She would pull out one final scroll before handing it to Yuuki. "Here's the special seal you asked me for Yuuki. It does work differently just like you asked. You'll need a small bit of your blood to activate it. Just like a summoning scroll. I'm sorry it took so long but I figured I would give it to you now since you said you wanted to incorporate these into your battles somehow."

That was enough to make him smile.

"Thank you, Yuna. I appreciate it." Akio would be the next one to distribute supplies amongst the three of them, giving them military ration pills along with a little book of the differences between edible plants and poisonous plants that were painstakingly detailed. "The traitor once told me that there is always a survival exercise included in the exams. He made those for me with the knowledge that we would have to go through it at some point. I hope it helps. The military ration pills are self-explanatory but be careful with taking them. The effects on the body are not something you want to have to deal with."

Then it was his turn.

He would gift each of them the spare outfits that he had purchased for them along with the food. "Just in case something happens. I think the scrolls were a wonderful idea Yuna, but we should save those and the military pills for emergencies." It would be then that they would hear someone calling out their names and would turn to see none other than their sensei along with Kakashi, the three of them looking at each other with mischevious looks in their eyes as they noticed just how close the silver-haired man was standing to their sensei. "I was hoping you three hadn't gone in yet. I wanted to wish each and every one of you good luck and to let you three know that I am very proud of how far you have come, no matter what happens."

"Thank you sensei. Though I can't help but wonder, Kakashi-sensei, why are you with our sensei?" Yuuki would muse quietly, brow rising in question as he watched as Ryosuke seemed strangely calm while Kakashi seemed to be the flustered one at the question for once.

"Kakashi asked me to go and pick him up at his home last night. Apparently, he has a hard time with being punctual lately and didn't want to risk missing out on wishing his team good luck with the exams so he asked me to escort him. That's why I wasn't already here to greet you to begin with. This guy is very hard to wake up."

Ah, that explained it.

"At any rate, good luck you three. I will be rooting for all of you every step of the way. Kakashi will escort the three of you to the room and he will wait to his students there. Good luck!" He would smile warmly at his precious genin before body flickering away leaving them with Kakashi who would simply smile at the three of them before gesturing for them to follow him.

They would make their way to the room in silence before Kakashi would speak to the three of them. "I know that we have not known each other for long at all but I just want to say a few things to the three of you. First, please be careful. I know this exam might not seem very dangerous but people have died during it and I know how much the three of you mean to Ryosuke, I don't want anything to happen to you just because you three took this exam too lightly. Second, stick together. You three are a team so look out for each other no matter what and lastly, I know this might be a bit to ask seeing as you three are not on their team, but if there ever comes a time where you see that Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke might need some assistance, please look out for them. I'm asking as a personal favor to me-"

"Sensei." That was enough to make the silver-haired man fall silent as he was greeted with warm smiles on each of the genin's faces, surprised to see that even Akio was smiling. "We do not abandon our fellow ninja no matter what happens, especially if they are part of our team. As far as I'm concerned, Team One and Team Seven might as well be one big team because we'd never just leave those three to fend for themselves if they were in trouble." Yuna would smile up at the surprised man gently before continuing on. "I did, after all, invite you all to our weekly team dinner at Yuuki's house the other day. I don't know why you did not attend sensei, but I meant what I said."

"We won't let anyone hurt them and if we can find them during the survival exercise we will try to stick together. We're going to try and find Haku's team as well and convince them to work with us if we can." Akio would add in as well, gifting the older man a small smile as that surprised gaze would turn to him.

"The only thing that we ask in return, on the off chance that something does happen to us, please be there for Ryosuke-sensei to help him through it." They would all smile at him one last time before making their way inside to see that while they were not the last people inside, they were far from the first.

It was time to begin.

* * *

The moment that they stepped inside the room, he would freeze as he felt that gaze on him once again and immediately he would grab his two teammates and drag them as far away from that stare as he possibly could, relaxing as he forced them into a corner of the room and ignoring the bewildered gazes he got out of them in return. The last two encounters he had with Gaara had ended with kisses being given and he was not about to get kissed in front of an entire room of potential enemies.

Nope, not going to happen.

They would watch as more and more ninja would arrive, gazes lighting up when finally Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke would finally make their way inside, the three of them slowly making their way over to them only to find a blonde girl hanging off of Sasuke, something that made him snicker softly before Naruto would notice them and would call out to them.

"Hey! It's you guys! We were hoping that we'd get a chance to see you three here, this is going to be awesome, You know?" Naruto was all but bouncing in his spot while Yuuki would smirk at him, hand reaching out to gently ruffle Naruto's hair, gaining protests from the blonde in the process. "I missed you too Naruto. We all did."

"Hey who are you three?! I've never seen you before!" The blonde girl would shout before she would take a better look at Akio who simply raised a brow at her, something that was enough to make her blush before detaching herself from Sasuke. " I mean...I'm Ino Yamanaka, my family owns the flower shop here in town. What are your names?" She would speak softly, fluttering her lashes at Akio who would simply gift her an uncomfortable look before he would move to step behind Yuna, inching his way around her to join Yuuki as far away from the blonde girl as possible.

He didn't like the way she looked at him.

"Um.." Yuna would gift her a small smile before turning her gaze to her teammates who were in no hurry to introduce themselves to the girl before she would sigh softly. "The reason why you haven't seen us before is that you're one of the newer squad of genin. We're Team One under Ryosuke Yotsuki. We've been a genin team for two years at this point and this is our first time taking the exams. As for who we are, I am Yuna Tsukino. Those two are Yuuki Saito and Akio Koyabashi. It is nice to meet you Ino." She would smile once again at the blonde who huffed slightly before turning her gaze towards the three who she had hoped to see, digging through her pack once again before handing each of them their own scrolls.

"They have water, food, medical supplies, and extra weapons. Pour a bit of your chakra in them to make them work and then do the same in order to seal everything back into the scroll when you're done." She would instruct, smiling brightly at the grateful looks she was given before she would frown as the blonde shouted out. "HEY! That shouldn't be allowed! You guys can't help each other out, that should be considered cheating!"

That was enough to set Sakura off.

"**DON'T TALK TO YUNA LIKE THAT INO-PIG!**" She would glare darkly at the blonde before collecting herself. "For your information, we're basically teammates. They went with us on that big mission we had to the Land Of Waves and helped us out. They've also been helping us train and we eat dinner with them sometimes. They even say we're basically one big team."

"That's right. We're just looking out for them. Last I checked that was not against the rules, so I would really appreciate you not calling us cheaters. That's not only rude but it's very distasteful, such a shame having such deplorable manners on such a pretty face." Yuuki would muse with that same annoyed smile he always gifted to people who got on his nerves, smirking as the blonde became flushed by his words, knowing he had hit a soft spot.

"If you know them better than we do, shouldn't you be doing the same thing? Instead of yelling at us for looking out for them you should be doing your best to help each other. What are they teaching at the academy these days?" Akio would mutter darkly, that icy blue gaze narrowing slightly in distaste as he would avert his gaze, a smirk crossing his features when it fell on one person in particular before turning to Yuuki.

"Your boyfriend doesn't look too happy with you. I wonder if he heard you say that she has a pretty face. Or if he's mad that you didn't say hello to him when you came in. Or-"

"Akio shut up." He would all but hiss, cheeks darkening in a fiery blush as he felt that gaze on him once again, doing his best not to look in that direction and sighing in relief as more ninja would surround them, effectively blocking him from Gaara's sight. It was when Haku joined them that he would nearly sing praises, shifting around to hide behind him, causing him to receive a very amused glance from the pretty ninja.

"Trouble in paradise?"

"She told you?"

"Nope. Ryosuke-sensei did when I ran into him this morning while I was on my way to meet my temporary team. He couldn't stop laughing the entire time which is understandable since it was pretty funny." The dark-haired ninja would muse before Yuuki would glare at him.

"Since you think it's so funny I should flirt with you in front of him and see if you still find it funny after, I'm sure he'll **love** that."

"I-" They would be interrupted by the arrival of another stranger, a boy with silvery hair and glasses and as he told them to settle down, his gaze would narrow, quickly switching his chakra to sensory mode to see if he could get a feel of this guy only to wince as he was quickly overwhelmed by the number of different chakra signals in the room and switching his chakra back to normal.

He didn't like this guy, but checking his chakra would have to wait.

He would call the nine ninjas from the academy the rookie nine before his gaze would rake over him, Yuna and Akio, stopping a moment longer than Akio then what was needed before smirking slightly and changing the subject by offering them information on the other ninjas who were taking the exams.

Okay, he really didn't like this guy.

Sasuke would step up and ask about none other than Gaara and somebody named Rock Lee and for a moment his heart would fall into his stomach as the man was easily able to gather information on Rock Lee, including the missions he had gotten, who was on his team and who his sensei was. He would even tell them about his skills and everything else they wanted to know before turning to Gaara.

Apparently, there wasn't much information about him.

They didn't even know that he was thirteen years old, what his height was or anything else other than the fact that he had completed eight C ranked missions and one B ranked mission and had returned from all of his missions uninjured.

Yes, that sounded exactly like Gaara.

"Oh...it seems as though there is one more thing on here. Apparently, it is said that he is known to have a close relationship with a Konoha shinobi. It's been said that he's been seen in public twice with this one person sporting a Konoha headband and that both of these encounters have ended with a kiss. I wonder who that ninja could be." He would immediately feel six gazes on him and he would fight down the blush as he avoided looking in their direction just in time to hear Naruto yell out that he would not lose to any of those ninjas.

Oh god, Gaara was looking at him again.

_"He's going to get us killed and he's going to make Gaara come over here and that's going to put a target on my back. Shut. Him. Up."_ He would hiss at Sakura who would immediately run forward, putting Naruto in a chokehold as she told him to shut up. Yuuki swallowing roughly as his gaze happened to meet Gaara's unamused look along with Temari and Kankuro's annoyed gazes, waving at the three of them sheepishly before he would look at Yuna and Akio.

"I'm so screwed."

"We know. So are we."

* * *

Midnight blues would narrow as he heard a thunk coming from a desk and he would watch as one of the ninjas from the sound would throw kunai at Kabuto, eyes narrowing before he would quickly throw his own to deflect them, stepping forward with an irritated smile. "I don't know how you guys say hello there in your village but here we do not attack each other. Don't come here and make an ass of yourselves in our village. Idiots."

He would watch as another one would pop up in front of Kabuto, moving to punch him only while Kabuto dodged the attack. He would be fine for a moment only for his glasses to break a second later. He would then fall onto his hands and knees only to throw up, something that made Yuna's brow furrow as she would move to help him, Akio immediately stopping her by pulling on the back of her shirt. "Don't. You'll make yourself a bigger target by revealing your strengths. It's best that we don't show off our skills until we absolutely have to. That goes for you as well Yuuki."

They would both hesitate, Yuna's brows furrowing before she would nod solemnly while Yuuki would merely scoff. "I wasn't planning on it. These guys aren't worth the effort it would take to make the signs in the first place." It would be a second later that someone would appear in the room in a cloud of smoke, demanding silence before him and a bunch of other ninjas would appear in the room.

Oh boy.

He would introduce himself as Ibiki Morino, the proctor for the first test of the exam. He would then scold the three ninjas from the sound village telling them that they were not allowed to do as they pleased before the start of the exam, threatening to fail them then and there before prompting the one who was wrapped up in bandages to apologize to him.

He would then say that they were not allowed to fight without permission and that even if they were given permission, they were not allowed to kill another participant before saying that if they messed with him, he would get rid of them immediately. He would then tell all of them to get in line and turn in their applications before picking up a paper test and getting a number. They were to sit in their assigned seats and at that revelation he would relax immediately.

There was no way he'd end up sitting anywhere close to Gaara with that system, right?

He would move to get in line, handing his application to the proctor and getting a number and the test in exchange, humming cheerfully as he found his seat, brow furrowing as he watched both Yuna and Akio both moving to find their seats on the opposite side of the room, face losing it's color as he realized that the numbers must have been given at random, heart sinking in his chest before he would come to a realization that there were too many ninjas and there was a one in a million chance that he would-

"Yuuki."

_Son of a bitch_.

* * *

The moment that he heard his name being called, he would give a soft, long-suffering sigh before turning his gaze to meet Gaara's who was looking more than a little pleased about how things had turned out. "I don't know how you did this, but I know you did it somehow. If you try kissing me here I swear I-I don't know what I'll do yet but I promise you won't like it."

"If I recall correctly, you were the one who was-"

"Okay. You're right! Just sit down and we'll talk about this later. When we're alone and not surrounded by all of these guys who are going to try to kill me because of Naruto." He would sigh as Gaara would take the seat next to him without complaint before turning his attention back to Gaara as he spoke again.

"You won't die."

"What? How do you know that?"

"Whoever is stupid enough to try will be killed by me. That is how I know that you won't die."

Huh. Aside from the threatening to kill someone part, that was almost touching.

They would turn their gazes forward as the proctor would begin to speak about the rules for the exam. He would tell them that they would start with ten points and that each wrong answer would cost them one point. Cheating would cost them two points each and that they would be graded as a team. It was also stated that they would have an hour for the exam and that if anyone on their team got a zero, all of them would fail.

Oh dear god.

When they would be given permission to start on their tests, Yuuki would immediately look over each and every single one of the questions, brow furrowing slightly as he realized that there was no way anyone would be able to answer these questions on their own.

They were supposed to cheat.

For a moment, the illusionist would cross his arms as he looked up at the ceiling, trying to think about what the best way for him to gather the information was without being caught before a sigh would leave him, gaze drifting lazily around the room to see how his teammates were doing. It seemed as though Yuna was answering the questions by mimicking the muscle movement of the guy next to her while Akio happened to be lucky enough to sit next to Haku.

Lucky bastard.

He could cast an illusion, but doing so would mean potentially exposing himself to everyone in the room and in order to ensnare everyone, he would need to use up a lot of his chakra which wasn't an option. He could try cheating off of Gaara without getting caught, but he knew that Gaara was way too observant and while he might let him get away without calling him out, he knew that he would have to deal with his displeasure at a later time.

He would have to work out a deal with the younger boy.

A soft sigh would leave him before he would quickly grab a small piece of loose paper, writing down his note before sliding it over to Gaara who would quickly take it from him before it could be seen.

_Gaara,_

_I know you're going to use your sand to find out the answers, what will it cost me for you to let me see your paper when you're done?_

It would be a moment later before he would receive his answer.

**No more games between the two of us. I want you to be mine and only mine. No more flirting with anyone other than me.**

Well, if that was all it took, fine. He was never going to tell him that he was already thinking about making Gaara the sole object of his teasing and flirting anyways. The last thing he needed was to have him change the terms of their agreement and ask for something worse.

_Fine. I'll stop with the flirting. You know, it's really cute how jealous you are Gaara, It would be even cuter if you would just admit that you were jealous and wanted all of my attention just on you._

He would slide the note to the boy next to him, nearly snickering as he felt the boy next to him tense up before wheezing as a swift punch was delivered to his side as the boy continued looking straight ahead as if trying to play innocent.

Asshole.

He would watch as the boy would move to form something in his hand, gathering the sand in his hand before forming something that looked like an eye, crushing it in his hand and allowing the sand to scatter before closing one of his eyes. It would be a moment before he would begin writing, both eyes opening once he would finish. He would then slide his paper over to Yuuki's side, allowing him to see all of the answers which Yuuki would memorize quickly before writing them down on his own paper.

Just like that, he was set.

All it cost him was his chance at finding a relationship with someone other than Gaara.

He was strangely okay with it.

* * *

Before he had realized it, it was already time to be given the last question and he would listen as Ibiki would go over the rules for the very last question, stating that if they got it wrong that they could never take the exam again. He would watch calmly as people would opt not to take it and would be escorted out before Naruto would yell out that he would not run away.

Then they were told that they passed.

It was enough to make that strained smile cross his features as he would twitch slightly. "Excuse me, mister proctor. What do you mean we passed?" It was explained that this was meant to be a test to test their information gathering skills and that the point of the tenth question was to weed out anyone who wasn't confident with their ability to answer questions or who wasn't willing to put their futures at risk.

He had just sold himself to Gaara for questions that in the long run meant absolutely nothing.

Now he was pissed.

It would be seconds later that the proctor for the second exam would crash through the window, telling them that it was time for the second exam and that they all needed to follow her right away. She would take in all of the teams before scolding Ibiki, stating that the exam was too easy this time around while Ibiki defended himself saying that there were many excellent candidates this year.

She would then go on to say that she would drop more than half of them by the end of her exam.

Oh dear god, she was going to kill them, wasn't she?

They were told that the next exam would be at a different location and that they would need to get the time and place from their jonin before telling them that they were allowed to leave, a sigh leaving him as his head would move to smack against the desk.

This was going to be one hell of a test, that much was certain.


	8. Chapter 8

The three ninjas would all stand still facing the dark and foreboding forest with a sense of dread. "Well I if had any doubts that she was trying to kill us before, they're gone now." Yuuki would state calmly, eyes narrowing for a moment before he would release a deep sigh. "I'm really starting to rethink this whole thing. It was bad enough that the first bastard tricked me into selling my future away to Gaara, now this crap?" He would ignore the smirks that he knew his teammates were giving each other behind his back before sighing. "I mean, could it get any worse than this?"

"At least Gaara said that he would protect you from anyone who comes after you, Yuuki. It could be worse, he could be the one trying to kill you." Akio would muse quietly, smirking at the way Yuuki's body would tense up at the mention of his very name before he would sigh once again. "Not only that but at least he's not going to be after our scroll no matter what happens. Can you imagine having to fight against not only him, but his brother and sister as well? I hate to say it, but I don't know if we would be able to win a battle against those three."

He did have a point, as much as he hated to admit it.

"In regards to signing your future away, it could be worse as well. He's a good looking boy even if he is a bit younger than you are. You two have a past together, and he clearly cares about you very much, and as long as he does not hurt you and the feelings are there, maybe you should give him a chance Yuuki." Yuna would smile warmly at him as he fell completely silent for a long moment, thinking about what she said before sighing once again.

"I suppose you're right. I just, I don't know. He's changed so much since we were kids. He used to be this cute, sweet little boy. He used to be really shy as well. Now he is all cold and distant and I have to flirt with him and touch him to get the reaction I want out of him. Kankuro and Temari warned me that he had changed after Yashamaru's death but I never thought that he changed this much."

He missed his best friend.

He had been about to say more before he was interrupted by the crazy female proctor who told them that this place was called The Forest Of Death and that they would soon see why it was given that name, something that made Yuuki's anxiety spike as he took in the sadistic smile on her otherwise pretty face. 'There is no amount of beauty in this world or the next that would make that kind of psychopathy attractive.' He would muse quietly to himself deep in his thoughts before watching in both horror and amusement as Naruto would mock the woman directly to her face.

He was starting to think that Naruto had a death wish.

He would watch as she would throw a kunai at Naruto, eyes narrowing as he would move to throw one of his own, deflecting the blade and sending it flying away from the blonde boy, who stood there wide-eyed and trembling before he shot a grateful look towards Yuuki who gave the boy an irritated smile before moving and smacking the boy soundly on the back of the head.

"**OW! WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR YUUKI?!**"

**"FIRST YOU PULL THIS SHIT IN THE FIRST EXAM AND NOW HERE?! IF YOU WANT TO GET KILLED DO IT WHEN I AM NOT STANDING NEXT TO YOU!"** He would all but roar, irritation showing clearly on his face for the first time in a very long time, a dark smile playing across his lips as his eyes narrowed, daring Naruto to speak against him only for that smile to grow when he shrunk back instead.

Good, he was learning~

He would flinch as the proctor would body flicker behind the two of them, wincing as he felt the crazy lady's hand touching his cheek, gaze moving to Naruto only to see that she was doing the same thing to him. "A kid like you is usually the first to die. You should thank your pretty little friend he, he saved you from having a kunai wound on your face. Though I hate the fact that he stopped me from seeing that pretty red blood that I like so much." He would hiss as she would pinch his cheek before his eyes would widen as she would release it suddenly to draw out a kunai, eyes widening even further when he saw a grass ninja returning the kunai with her freakishly long tongue.

Ew, that was gross.

Not only that but he got a bad feeling from her and as she would move to leave, their eyes would happen to meet and he couldn't help but shudder from the look that she gave to him. Those were not the sort of eyes that normal people had, and he found himself praying for the first time in a very long time that they would not manage to run into that crazy hag from the grass village.

At the very least he could hope, right?

Anko would mention something about having a lot of hot-blooded kids this time around, saying that this portion of the exam would be fun before telling them that she had forms that she needed to pass out to all of them. As the forms made the rounds, she would explain that they needed to sign those forms before they took part in the second part of the exams, saying that from now on corpses were going to be involved and if they didn't sign those papers, then she would be held personally responsible for the lives lost.

The compassion in her was astounding.

She would start by explaining that this was a survival test before explaining the sort of terrain they would all have to face. She would tell them about the locked gates surrounding the forest as well as the rivers and the fact that it was about ten kilometers from the gates to the tower in the middle of the forest. They were told that they would have to endure a survival program that was an anything goes scroll battle. She would pull out the scrolls before telling them that half of them would be getting a Heaven scroll while the other half would be getting an Earth scroll and that half of the teams would be failing.

Oh, this is going to be fun.

They were told that they had five days to get the scroll that they needed and to make it to the tower. Anko would go on to explain the rules, telling them the reasons why they could be kicked out of the exams and telling them that they would pick their entrance and would go into the forest using it. She would also tell them not to die before telling them that they needed to sign those forms. She told them that she would exchange three forms for one of the scrolls before dismissing them after telling them not to die. The three members of Team One would make their way to their own area as they read over their forms, each member sighing softly before signing their consent.

"If we die, Ryosuke-sensei better kick her ass for us." Yuuki would grumbly quietly, smirking when the other two members of his team immediately agreed with him despite their earlier words. It would be a moment later that they were called to exchange the papers for the scrolls and as they handed over the forms, they were immediately given a Heaven scroll which Yuuki was chosen to carry, the thought being that everyone would expect either Yuna or Akio to be the one carrying it.

He was the least obvious choice.

They were told that they needed to line up and immediately they would move to pick gate number three, standing there and watching as the chunins guarding the gate would unlock it and once Anko would announce the start of the second part of the exams they were off, taking to the trees immediately as they jumped from branch to branch, Yuuki's chakra immediately being switched to sensory mode as they made their way deep into the forest, eyes narrowing as he sensed a weak chakra signal down below and he would send a sign for them to stop, gaze lowering as he would see three ninjas from the waterfall village just standing around, apparently looking for something.

Easy targets.

With an inquiring glance towards both of his teammates who would nod in agreement, he would make various hand signs, allowing his chakra to flare up before he would grin darkly. "Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique" He would hiss under his breath, watching as the leaves from the trees around them began to move, smirking as their eyes widened and the screams would fill the once silent air from the forest as they were subjected to their worst nightmares. "Yuna, go."

With a nod she would jump down, hitting them each in the back of their necks with her chakra scalpel before she would go digging through each of their items, frowning when she would pull out another heaven scroll, thinking quietly to herself for a moment before deciding to take it with her as she body flickered back up into the tree.

It was better to be safe than sorry.

They would run on managing to run into another team from the leaf that they did not recognize, Akio managing to knock two of them unconscious while Yuuki leered dangerously at the other one. "Let us see your scroll. We just want to see what kind you have is all. If you don't humor us we're going to have to knock you unconscious and then we're going to be mad if it's the same one we have." That was enough to make the trembling boy show them his scroll, causing him to sigh as it was revealed to be another Heaven scroll before he would knock the boy out. "Another Heaven. I have a feeling finding the Earth is going to be a pain in the ass."

* * *

"What should we do? Should we set up camp or try finding one of the others?" Yuna would ask quietly as the three of them would finally stop again, deep in the forest and for a moment all was silent as they tried to decide what the right thing to do was.

"We should go and find them. We told Kakashi sensei that we would keep an eye on them for him and that we would help them if they needed it. We shouldn't go back on our word." Akio would speak softly, icy blues narrowing in thought as Yuuki would agree quietly. "Yes, that is the best course of action. Besides as long as they have the same scroll as us, we should be safe. Even if they have a different scroll, we have an extra Heaven one we can give to them."

It was better if they worked as a team.

"Yuuki..can you sense their chakra signatures anywhere?" He would close his eyes and allow his sensory ability to scan the area around them before nodding. "They're about a half of a kilometer away, northwest." All three of them would nod before moving to go off in that direction, eyes widening when they saw Sakura and Sasuke standing off against the ninja they had all wanted to avoid.

Shit.

They would watch as Sasuke and Sakura seemed frozen in place by something, eyes narrowing slightly as he wondered if they were being subjected to a genjutsu before being able to sense the thirst for blood that was coming from him, something that made him swallow roughly when he realized just what it truly was.

Killing intent.

"What do we do? That woman is even more psychotic than the proctor is. I don't know how much help we can possibly be." Yuuki would frown lightly, eyes never leaving the form of the woman beneath while Yuna would bite down on her lip, wide eyes never leaving Sasuke and Sakura. "But we can't leave them. Yuna...get them out of here. Akio...I'm going to try and trap her in a genjutsu. You'll be my backup in case it doesn't work, alright." The black haired male would nod immediately and with a sigh, he would begin weaving signs. "Cover your ears you two." When they did as he asked, he would deliver a swift punch to the tree, causing birds to fly away crying and he would use their cries to activate his genjutsu.

"Heavenly Illusion: Serenade of Repetition" With his genjutsu activated, he would immediately switch his chakra to sensory mode, seeing if the man had fallen under his genjutsu that would cause him to relive the last five minutes or so, hopefully without realizing it and when he sensed the chakra disruption, he would make a gesture to Yuna. "Go now!" The three of them would body flicker over to where the genin were, Yuna pouring her chakra into them to help them shake off the effects of the killing intent and when they looked up at her with a bewildered gaze she would smile warmly.

"We've come to help. Yuuki put that witch under a genjutsu but we're not sure how much longer it will last. We need to move and quickly. Come on." She would help Sakura up and Sasuke would manage to shakily stand on his own, Yuuki smiling slightly before a voice would make their blood run absolutely cold in their veins.

"Well, well isn't this touching. The older ones coming to help the younger genin out of a dangerous situation. It's almost enough to warm my heart. But you see, I cannot let you get away. They have something I want and we're going to fight to the death over it." That was enough to make Yuuki's gaze widen as he would look back at them. "What the hell did you take from this woman?!"

"N-Nothing! S-She wants our Heaven Scroll." That was enough for each of the teammates to look at each other before nodding simultaneously, Yuna reaching into her pouch and holding up the Heaven scroll before throwing it at the grass ninja. "Take ours! You can have it if it means you will leave us alone!" They would watch as she would take the scroll, observing it for a moment before she would light it on fire with her hands. "What a sweet gesture...but I'm afraid that I can't take you up on it."

Shit.

Akio would quickly weave hand signs before taking a deep breath, eyes narrowing before he would exhale, a burst of flame escaping his mouth, quickly setting the plants and everything in the middle of the field on fire. "There. Grab them and go." They wouldn't waste any time, Akio grabbing up Sasuke and flickering away, Yuna, Sakura, and Yuuki quickly following behind, missing the way that the female's eyes narrowed darkly before a sinister chuckle would leave her lips.

"Oh, my dear Akira. I wonder what you would say if you could see your little nephew now~"

* * *

They would all rest on a tree a good distance away from where they had been, Yuna tending to both Sakura and Sasuke, making sure they were not injured while Yuuki kept his chakra on sensory mode, actively seeking out any foreign chakra signatures. Akio was also on high alert, icy blues keeping guard for any slight disturbance until they heard the shaky voice coming from Sakura.

"T-Thank you guys. I-If you h-hadn't stepped in. Who knows what might have h-happened." She was still a mess, but that was to be expected, Yuuki smiling weakly at her in response. "Of course Sakura. We weren't just going to leave-" He would sense a massive flare in chakra and would immediately jump up as he saw a giant snake moving towards him. "GUYS MOVE NOW!"

All of them would jump onto separate branches, Yuuki's eyes widening as he saw the snake lunge for Sasuke before sighing in relief as Sasuke managed to kill it with shuriken. His gaze would narrow as he looked at the snake, darkening as he saw the skin beginning to crack, having to fight the urge to throw up when he saw the woman emerge from the body of the snake.

That was disgusting.

They would watch as the woman's body would manipulate itself, winding around the tree as she made her way up to Sasuke, Yuuki immediately throwing a kunai while Akio threw shuriken, both of them sighing in relief when they managed to embed themselves in her back, smirking when she cried out in pain before their eyes would widen as more weapons would come flying at her, embedding themselves into the trunk above her head.

Oh god, please let it be Gaara.

As he heard the words leaving the person's mouth his gaze would lift, hopes dashing a bit when he saw that it was only Naruto. He would watch as Naruto would tease Orochimaru while Sasuke yelled at him to run away, which caused Naruto to punch Sasuke, telling him that she would never let them escape, something that made her chuckle before admitting that Naruto was right.

She was going to hunt them down and kill them.

"All but two. I will kill everyone else~" She would grin sadistically before summoning another giant snake, Yuuki's eyes widening as the snake would charge at Naruto, ready to attack, slamming him back into a bunch of trees before Naruto would move to attack the snake. Punching it repeatedly until the snake managed to send him flying into trees and as the snake would move to attack Sasuke, Akio would quickly move along with Yuuki, throwing weapons and stabbing the snake through the top of the mouth just in time for Naruto to jump in front of the snake, stopping it from hurting Sasuke.

Naruto would then call Sasuke a scaredy cat in true Naruto fashion.

They would watch in horror as the woman would lift up Naruto by his tongue eyes widening as Yuuki would jump in. Yuuki would jump onto the woman's back, kunai pressing firmly against her throat as he would hiss tiredly in her ear. "Let him go or so help me I'll slit your throat." He would watch as she would only draw him closer, making a sign before Yuna would jump in, chakra scalpels at the ready only to quickly cancel out the jutsu as Yuuki was knocked off of the woman and was tossed at her, causing both of them to fly back into a tree as Yuna caught her teammate.

Akio would watch as the ninja would do a sign of some sort before shoving her hand onto Naruto's stomach, something that caused him a lot of pain before he would pass out from it, leaving Akio, Sasuke, and Sakura as the only conscious ninja at the moment, something that left his mind racing as he tried to figure out just what the three of them were going to do.

This was not good.

As she would throw Naruto away like a piece of trash, he would watch as Sakura would throw a kunai, pinning his jacket to the tree and holding him there as Sasuke was frozen, causing Akio to swallow roughly before he would turn his gaze to Sakura. "Listen to me, Sakura. Go to Yuna and Yuuki and try waking them up. I want you guys to take Naruto, Sasuke and run. I'll hold this woman off for as long as I can. Try and get help." Tears would fill the pinkette's eyes as she would turn her bewildered gaze to Akio before turning it to Sasuke. "Sasuke! Naruto and Akio are nothing like you! Naruto's a clutz and gets in the way, Akio may be stubborn and hard headed, but at least they're both not cowards! Isn't that right?!"

They would watch as Sasuke would activate his Sharingan, essentially getting over whatever it was that was causing him to freeze up. "Let's do this together Akio. We can take her down faster that way." Akio would nod as that icy gaze would narrow darkly, watching as she got rid of her summoning. Sasuke would draw a kunai and Akio would draw his preferred Shuriken before both of them would run at her, attacking her at once. Sasuke would attack her from the front while Akio would focus on attacking her from the back, both unable to understand how she was able to fend both of them off at the same time.

Something wasn't adding up.

He would fall back as the woman began moving at impossible speeds, eyes straining as he found that he couldn't see her before deciding to let Sasuke be the one to track her and when she attacked the two of them again, they would both send a burst of powerful fire at her, watching as she would dodge it before jumping out of the way as she came up and out of the inside of the tree branch. He would jump out of the way again when she would send another attack at them, watching as Sasuke would tackle her down before slamming her head first down onto a branch, Akio body flickering down to join them icy blue eyes watching just in case.

It turned out to be a mud clone.

A barrage of kunai would come flying at the both of them, Akio jumping up before body flickering out of sight while Sasuke jumped down only to be attacked by the woman. As Sasuke was hit over and over again, Akio would reappear, attacking the woman and kicking her down before body flickering away to the next branch over as Sasuke would leap up and send her flying, throwing various weapons and pulling wires to have them securing her to the tree trunk, smirking as he set the witch on fire.

It was done.

At least that was what he thought before the woman managed to free herself and would cast a paralysis jutsu on them, rendering them all immobile as she would speak, that voice becoming a blend of two and making his eyes narrow slightly before his face would lose all color when he realized that he recognized that voice. He had grown up with that voice around the house when he was a baby.

It was Orochimaru.

They were screwed.

* * *

**(10 years prior)**

"Orochimaru...now is not a good time. Akio is ready for bed and I don't think it's-" The older man was stopped as the toddler Akio would come running out, those icy blues looking up at the man he saw as a second father with excitement as he reached up to be held, giggling in delight as the man would comply to his request, smirking at the other adult in the house as the child cuddled into his arms.

"Stop giving me that smug look or I'll have you be the one putting him to bed. He seems to listen to you better anyway, I don't know why I try." Akira would grumble darkly as those golden eyes would narrow in irritation towards the older man who simply gave a breathy laugh.

"Now, Now of that. Besides, it's a good idea that I practice with our baby Akio. He is your son after all. What if we decide that we want children of our own someday?" A thin brown brow would rise as golden eyes would narrow slightly in suspicion.

"I would tell you that you're messing around with the wrong person then, Orochimaru. I'm clearly not a woman. I don't have the.." He would look at Akio before sighing softly. "You know what, we're not talking about this here or now. Come Akio, it's time for bed. He will even tell you a story since he's so eager to spend time with you, won't you?"

"I suppose I have no choice when you put it that way."

"I'm glad you're making this easy on yourself."

"Yaaaay! Uncle Orochi's gonna tell me a story! I wanna hear the one about the talking snakes again!"

"Whatever your heart desires, little one."

* * *

**(Present Day)**

Those icy eyes would narrow in absolute hatred as he stared at the man that had taken the only family he had left away from him. Body trembling in rage as he would watch him interact with Sasuke before making a sign and elongating his neck which shot towards Sasuke, Akio's eyes widening as he watched the man sink his fangs into Sasuke's neck before slowly pulling away, icy eyes narrowing as the man's head turned to look at him.

"As much as I would like to leave my mark on you as well, little Akio." That name was said so lightly, with such mockery that it was enough to make him see red. "My Akira has asked me not to touch or harm you in any way. He still loves you so dearly that he was willing to sacrifice what little pride, dignity, and honor he had left to convince me that I should leave you alone."

"Why would I care what the hell that traitor asked of you?!"

"My, My it would just break his heart to hear you speak this way about him after everything he's done to keep you safe from me. Consider yourself lucky Akio. I would have broken the promise and given you a mark if it would have been anyone else. Be grateful to your uncle, he saved you today." He would slowly begin to sink into the wood as Sasuke would collapse from the pain. "Of course...if you were to seek me out on your own along with Sasuke, there would be nothing he could do then. I do hope you decide to come and look for me, I'm sure I have all of the answers to the questions you are dying to ask your uncle. Goodbye, for now, Sasuke, Akio." With that said he would disappear completely, leaving Sakura and him as the only conscious ones, Sakura being beside herself with tears which made Akio sigh as he realized that he was going to have to be the one to take charge.

"Sakura, I need you to listen to me. We need to get everyone down and set up camp. I want you to get Yuna and Yuuki, I'm going to get Naruto down, okay?" She would nod tearfully before moving to do as he asked before he would go to get Naruto down, cursing under his breath as he looked at all four of the unconscious genin, gently dragging them towards a small shelter made from the roots of the giant trees. "Sakura...you and I are going to have to sleep in shifts. You take the first rest. I'll wake you up in a few hours or if Yuna and Yuuki wake up. They shouldn't be out for too much longer since they didn't get hurt that badly. Once Yuna wakes up, things will be better." He was going to talk so much shit to Yuuki's boyfriend when they got to the tower, though.

'I'll kill anyone who tries to kill you.'

Yeah right.

As Sakura would fall into an uneasy sleep, he would stand watch, icy eyes peering out into the darkness from their shelter amongst the roots, watching the forest from the stillness of the night before some quiet rustling would capture his attention, eyes turning to fall upon his teammate only to see that it was Yuuki was waking up, midnight blues slowly opening to meet Akio's icy ones. "Mmm...what happened? Is everyone okay? Last I remember is that creepy woman kicking me into Yuna."

"It wasn't a woman, it was Orochimaru in disguise first and foremost, that's why we had so much trouble fighting her. Second, he did this weird seal thing on Naruto which knocked him out and he bit Sasuke and gave him this mark which put him in a lot of pain before knocking him out. Yuna's still out of it so, for now, it's just the two of us. To top it off both of our teams still need to find the Earth Scroll."

"Shit."

"I don't know how we're going to do it unless I go and find one myself. But right now we need all of the help we can get-"

"Akio if you want to go then go, I'm fine watching over things. I can even set a genjutsu and everything so we'll be extra safe."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Alright then, leave it to me. I'll find us an Earth Scroll and come right back." With that said he would disappear, leaving Yuuki to weave his illusion, making the tree look like it was completely closed off before resuming his guard duty, blues never once leaving the darkness of the forest, keeping watch until the early hours of the morning, his gaze only shifting when he heard Sakura begin to stir, watching as she woke up, blinking in surprise when she saw just who it was keeping watch.

"Y-Yuuki? You're awake? W-Where's Akio?" She would ask softly as she looked around, mint eyes widening when she did not see the boy anywhere, something that made Yuuki shake his head softly.

"He's not here Sakura. He decided that it would be best for him to go off on his own to try and find an Earth Scroll for us." He would speak softly, watching as her eyes widened and as she made to protest, he would chuckle softly. "My, My Sakura. Are you saying that you don't have faith in my ability to keep us safe? I'll let you know that I'm feeling absolutely fine and I still have plenty of chakra left. I've also put up a genjutsu in case anyone tries coming after us, so all we have to do is wait around until he comes back. I have faith in Akio, he's the second strongest one on our team, so try and have faith in him too, alright?"

That was all they could do.

It would be another hour before anyone else would wake up, a softly groaning Yuna being the next one to wake up with a wince as she sat up, telling them that she had probably taken the most of the damage when Orochimaru had sent them flying into a tree. "Yuna are you okay?" Sakura would immediately move over to her side only to be waved off.

"Yes. I think I'm just sore. Nothing's broken or damaged from what I can tell. Just give me some time to stretch and I should be fine." Her blue gaze would dart around, brow furrowing when she saw the state that Sasuke and Naruto were in. "What happened to them after that woman took us down?" She would ask with a wide-eyed gaze, listening as they explained just what had happened, face losing it's color once it was explained that the person that they had been fighting was none other than Orochimaru and that he had done some kind of seal on Naruto before leaving a mark on Sasuke, while telling Akio that he would have shared Sasuke's fate if not for Akira, something that made Sakura pause before she would finally ask the question.

"Um, I didn't want to ask Akio because he looked really mad when that name was brought up but who is Akira?" She would ask shyly, looking at the two members of Team One as they looked at each other before Yuuki would sigh softly, deciding to be the one who would end up answering her.

Hopefully, Akio wouldn't be upset with him.

"Akira is Akio's only remaining family. His mother and father both died when he was still a baby so Akira was the one who took him in and raised him. He was a very funny and kind man, a bit snarky as well, along with being very pretty. He had tanned skin and long wavy brown hair and these pretty golden eyes, just like Akio's mother did. Needless to say, he was very popular around the village. A lot of people liked and admired him. Including Orochimaru. Though it's very likely that he only admired him because he was so pretty and not because he actually had any sort of feelings for him."

That was the thing that made Akira's betrayal of the village so strange.

"At any rate, I don't think we'll ever find out the true reason, even Akio doesn't know why he left with Orochimaru other than the fact that he did love him for some god awful reason." Yuuki would drawl before pausing as he heard shuffling before a confused looking Akio would step out of the bushes, looking around, something that immediately made his eyes narrow before widening as Sakura would immediately beam on seeing him, getting up and running out of their hiding spot. "Sakura, No! That's not-"

"Akio! Oh, thank god! I was getting worried, you had been gone for so long! Did you- W-what are you doing?" She would watch with widened eyes as the false Akio would smirk before taking out a kunai and advancing on her, only to dodge as Yuuki would send shuriken flying his way, smirking and transforming to reveal the sound ninja that was covered in bandages as his companions revealed themselves as well.

"Yuna. We're going to need your help here. I'm sorry but I don't think it can be avoided." He would dispel the genjutsu as the blue-haired girl would join them, eyes narrowed as they told them they wanted to fight Sasuke and as Sakura would tell them about Orochimaru marking them they would say that it could not be helped, that they would kill them before killing Sasuke. They would then leap up into the air, the three ninjas bracing themselves before someone would come in, kicking all three of them out of the air and knocking them back down to the ground. Watching as a ninja dressed in a green jumpsuit with a bowl cut would land next to them.

"I don't know who you are, but thank you for that." Yuna would smile warmly at the fellow Konoha ninja while Sakura would ask why he was here, only to be told that he would always come running when Sakura was in trouble, even telling her that he would die for her.

"There won't be any dying here as long as I'm involved. I'm guessing you're good with Taijutsu? Perfect. Yuna use ninjutsu and we'll take these punks down." He would watch as she would draw out one of the water scrolls that she used for combat, pouring her chakra into it before throwing it up in the air and sending water scattering all around the ground surrounding them as she glared at the sound.

The bandaged ninja would run at them and Lee would punch through the ground, lifting up the roots from the tree to use as a shield while Yuna would jump up, sending a chakra infused kick into his side and sending him soaring back and into one of his companions as she would land back on the ground. "That should have managed to bruise some of his ribs at the very least if not break them entirely, he should be slower now."

That still wasn't enough to make him give up, however, as he came running at them again, Lee would unwrap the bandages around his arms before moving quickly and kicking him up into the air, spinning him around before moving to slam him back into the ground which one of his allies happened to soften using their strange jutsu. He would come running at them again to attack Lee, managing to hit him with the sound waves before Yuna would jump forward again, kicking him once again before managing to slash him on his chest with her chakra scalpels, standing in front of Lee with her blue eyes narrowed, gaze looking back to check on Lee only to see that his ears were bleeding and that he had managed to throw up and that was enough to make her gaze widen.

"Sakura...It can't be avoided. I'm going to need you to back me up. Otherwise, even with my abilities, I'm afraid this won't last long." He would fall silent as he would explain just what he had done to Lee, smirking darkly. "Thanks for letting us know. Yuna heal him quickly." She would nod before helping Lee stand and body flickering to where Sasuke and Naruto were sleeping.

Yuuki would immediately begin weaving signs before body flickering away, watching as Sakura would throw weapons at the bandaged one only to have them reflected by Zaku's wind jutsu which managed to not only reflect her weapons but knock her off balance and immediately Yuuki would take that moment to strike, appearing behind the bandaged one and surging his chakra into him, locking him into one of his most powerful genjutsu.

His Shades of Paradise illusion.

It was meant to lock them into the deepest part of their fantasy all the while erasing small bits and pieces of their memory to make them forget just what it was they were doing before, erasing any urgency or any even any will to want to fight his illusion.

Hopefully, it would keep him trapped for a nice, long while or he would have to pull out his next secret jutsu, one that he was hoping to save for the next round of the exams.

With the biggest threat taken out of the picture, for the time being, he would turn his gaze back on Sakura, trying to figure out how he was going to help her, knowing that the woman was in the perfect location where she could kill her if he made any moves, eyes narrowing as he watched her cry. As Zaku would move towards the shelter he would call out. "Yuna he's going your way get ready to fight!" He would watch as Sakura would draw out a kunai before chopping off the part of her hair that the woman had been holding her by.

He never thought she would ever do something like that.

He would watch as Kin would move to kill her only to use a substitution jutsu, repeating the process one more time before she would take four kunai to her arms and legs before jumping down and stabbing Zaku in the hand and biting down on his other arm and as he would continue punching Sakura on the head he would move quickly, ready to try and help her only to be stopped by the woman.

"Oh no, you're not going anywhere. If you want to help her you're going to have to go through-"

"Fire style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!" She would immediately jump back, as would Yuuki as a burst of flame would come rushing at the both of them, Yuuki sighing in relief as Akio would move to join his side. Icy eyes narrowed in rage as he leered at the state that Sakura was in. "You've got a lot of nerve, attacking my team when two of us are down and injuring Sakura. Mercy is too good for the likes of you."

He would turn his gaze on Sakura only to see that three of their fellow leaf ninja had come out of nowhere to jump in front of her, protecting her from the asshole who had been punching her. "Are they with you Akio?"

"No. But someone else is. They should be here very soon as a matter of fact."

"What the heck are you talking about?"

"You'll see. Let's take this girl down. Then we'll focus on the other two." Akio would turn his icy blue gaze onto the girl who would back away from them, glaring only for her body to tense up as the blonde girl would fall unconscious. It was revealed that she had used a mind transfer technique to take over the girl's body and she threatened to kill her if the spiky-haired boy didn't give up, something that made him smirk as he would simply run past them, running straight at him and Akio.

"Let's go Akio! He wants the bandaged guy! We can't let him break my genjutsu or we'll be right back where we-"

"Too late for that."

Shit.

He would turn around to see the bandaged guy smirking at him, arm raised and ready to attack him before the air around them would suddenly get cooler.

"Secret Jutsu: Crystal Ice Mirrors."

Oh, thank god.

* * *

The mirror of ice would form around him as a means of defense, protecting him from the sound waves and deflecting it right back at the sound ninja before Haku would appear in the mirror, senbon drawn and ready to strike as he would throw it at him, smirking as he would deflect it before stepping out of the mirror. "Are you alright Yuuki? Where is Yuna, is she okay?"

"Yuna's in the middle of healing this guy they hurt, she's fine. I'm okay too, they haven't managed to hit me yet. Thanks for saving me there, that guy's been a real pain in the ass. Don't try fighting him with taijutsu, he has this sound thing that messes with you even if you dodge his attacks. I had him under a genjutsu but he somehow managed to break it without me noticing."

"Understood."

"Did you come alone?"

"I did, my teammates thought that this was a trap even though Akio told them that you guys had both of them, so I gave them the scrolls and came on my own. I think I'll be just fine though. It seems as though you guys have more allies then you thought." Yuuki had been about to ask what he was talking about when two more ninjas would appear, looking for someone named Lee.

"If you mean the boy in the green jumpsuit with the bowl cut, he's being treated by our medical-nin. You can see him if you'd like but we'd appreciate the help in getting rid of these guys." The long-haired boy would activate his eyes, threatening them to stand down before smirking.

Sasuke was awake.

A horrible purple chakra would surround him, something that made his skin crawl as all of the ninjas were left staring at him in horror as he would call out to Sakura, asking who had beat her up. The black mark that Orochimaru had given him had spread all over him and his Sharingan was activated before he would state that he felt stronger than ever.

Oh, this was not good.

They would watch as the idiot would tell Sasuke that he was the one who hurt her, watching as Ino would release the girl's body before Akio would frown. "Haku, Yuuki...we're going to get caught in the crossfire here. We need to get out of the way, whatever Orochimaru did to him, that's not Sasuke right now." All three of them would look at each other before body flickering away, standing in front of Naruto just in time for Yuna and Rock Lee to both come out of the shelter.

"What is going on?! I turned my back for one moment to finish treating Lee and Sasuke was gone!"

"Tsukino-San...he's..." Her gaze would turn to follow Rock Lee's voice, eyes widening as she saw the dark chakra and the way that the curse mark had spread all over his body.

"Oh no." They would watch as Sasuke would sweep the floor with the boy from the Sound Village all the while the bandaged one was urging him to run away. The battle would end with Sasuke managing to break both of his arms before turning to the bandaged ninja, telling him that he was the only one left as he would start making his way towards him, ready to hurt the boy, Haku would step forward, summoning his ice mirrors to form a protective barrier around the remaining sound ninja, something that made him pause before chuckling darkly.

"Put down the mirrors Haku. I need to teach him a lesson."

"The lesson was learned already. Now you are just being bloodthirsty and I will not allow you to spill more blood than what is necessary."

"Would you feel the same way if it had been Yuna who had been hurt?"

"Yes. The one that hurt Sakura has been dealt with, there is no need to do any more damage." Sasuke would simply sneer at him before turning to the mirrors, ready to try and shatter them before Sakura would run forward, hugging him while crying and begging for him to stop. That seemed to be enough to bring Sasuke back to his senses, causing the curse mark to fade as he would slowly start to come back before Haku would turn to the bandaged ninja, a cold look in his eyes as he allowed his mirrors to fall away. "Leave your scroll and get out of here. You have caused enough trouble."

"Be grateful we're letting you go after all of the damage you did." Yuuki would glare, watching as they would leave their Earth Scroll on the floor before the bandaged guy would pick up both of his teammates and leave and once they were safe, he would sigh softly before smiling weakly at Haku. "Thank you for coming to help us. You saved us from a lot of trouble."

"Think nothing of it. Once Akio told me what had happened about you six running into one of those Sanin and having to fight him, I knew I had to come and make sure everyone was okay. If you'll excuse me." He would smile before making his way over to Yuna, obviously making sure that she was okay before sighing softly.

Both of their teams had the scrolls that they needed.

All that was left was to wake up Naruto and find the tower.

Then they would be done with this shit.

Thank god.


	9. Chapter 9

Naruto would wake up screaming causing all of Team One to turn around with a look of concern, worried that someone might be attacking him only for all of them to become annoyed as the found the two male members of Ino's team poking him with a stick as he crawled around on the ground. He would ask about what had happened to Orochimaru before screaming again as he saw Sakura's hair, asking what had happened to it, listening to her explanation before nodding in acceptance, causing Yuna, Akio, and even Yuuki to have a look of complete exasperation on their faces.

This was already getting old, and he had just woken up!

Naruto would then ask why everyone was here, to which, Sakura explained that they had all helped her keep them safe. Team One would watch the genin interact with one another before turning to each other. "I think that they'll be safe now. Should we go on ahead of them and head to the tower? I don't think I have it in me to fight another Sanin or more of those god damned sound ninja. I know that we promised to look out for them and I think we've done more than our share, but I can't handle much more of this and it looks like you guys are at your limit as well." Yuuki would speak softly, turning his gaze to Yuna and Akio who both seemed to contemplate their words before he would turn to Haku, who simply smiled.

"I do need to find my team as well. I'll need to be leaving now. I'm glad that you all are safe and that I could be of any use. Good luck you three." With that said, Haku would body flicker away, leaving all three of them standing alone once again. "So what do you guys think?"

"I would like to look them over one more time to make sure they don't need any additional healing. After that, I suppose it would be safe to leave them. The worst of the danger does seem to have gone away at this point." She would muse softly with a small frown before watching as Rock Lee's teammates would move to claim him. "At least I know that one will be fine. I know I did a good job dealing with the injury that asshole from the sound gave him but I hope he has the sense to go and see a more experienced healer just to be sure I didn't miss anything." She would say before shaking her head and sighing as she would approach the group of genin, smiling at Naruto and Sasuke. "How are you both feeling? Do you need me to take a look at anything? Oh and Sakura let me heal you. I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help during your fight with the sound."

"N-No. Don't apologize. You were helping Lee, that was more than enough." Her hands would reach towards Sakura's face, gently cupping her cheeks within her hands as she would allow her chakra to flow, stopping the flow of blood before closing up the wounds entirely. "There we go Sakura. I wish there was something I could do to help with your hair, unfortunately, hair cutting is not my forte so to speak." She would muse with a weak smile, only for the blonde to offer her services and as Sakura would move over to have her fix her hair, Yuna would gift Sasuke and Naruto a soft smile.

"Just so you both know. Yuuki seems to want to move on ahead as does Akio and I have no choice but to go on ahead with them. I've healed Sakura, so I am not worried about her but if the both of you need or want me to heal you, you need to not be stubborn and let me know now. This is probably going to be the last time I all of you until you reach the tower." She would be greeted by silence and would release a soft sigh. "Very well then. Please be careful you two. Goodbye and good luck to all of you. Please let Sakura know I said goodbye."

With that said she would make her way back to her own team, nodding at them before Yuuki would smirk and all three of them would body flicker out of there, taking to the trees once more as they would make their way to the tower in the center of the woods. It would take the better part of two hours before they would finally enter the building, Yuuki sighing in relief as he would bring out the two scrolls and would open them as per the instructions, blinking in surprise when none other than Ryosuke would be there grinning down at the three of them.

"A Day and a half. Not bad you three. I was hoping that you three might be one of the first to get here but a day and a half still isn't bad." He would muse, golden eyes sparkling brightly as he grinned down at them before his brow would rise when he would notice the look they shared with one another. "What's with that look? Did something happen?"

"That's putting it mildly."

* * *

Ryosuke would stand there completely shocked as they relayed to him what had happened to them during their time in the woods, gaze never leaving his three students before he did something he had never done before. Arms would wrap around each and every single one of them as he hugged them all tightly. "I'm so glad that all three of you are not only okay but that you're all alive. I would have murdered Anko if any one of you three would have been killed."

His golden eyes would darken at the thought before sighing as his gaze would meet every one of them, looking them over before his gaze would fall to Akio, whose icy gaze was glaring at a tile as if it had done something to personally offend him. "Akio..the next question I'm going to ask, don't take it personally because I have to be absolutely sure, but are you sure that it truly was Orochimaru?" That was enough for that icy gaze to turn his glare onto him, eyes narrowing slightly before he would speak.

"He knew me. He talked about Akira. He was able to summon snakes. His body moved like a snake. He left a mark on Sasuke's neck after he sank his fangs into it, how much more sure do I need to be?!" He would glare at the older man who would simply hold his hands up defensively before giving a nervous laugh. "I-I understand. I just had to be sure. At any rate, why don't you three go and find a room and get something to eat? They're housing people here until the end of the five days. Get some rest and relax all three of you, you deserve it."

It was then that he would disappear again in that same cloud of smoke and Yuuki would sigh as his gaze would turn to his teammates. "Rest or food?" He would murmur quietly, trying to figure out just what it was they were going to do first, relieved when both of them deciding that resting would be the wisest idea and as they made the way up to the rooms, making sure to stop by the washrooms first to get washed up and change their clothes beforehand, they would look inside to see that each room had two beds and nothing more, causing him to sigh.

"Yuna and Akio, you two stay here together. I'll find somewhere else." That was enough to make his teammates look at him in surprise as he would simply give them a sheepish smile. "How should I say this? I'm not sharing a bed with Akio, that's a bit too weird and these beds are pretty small. Yuna, Haku would murder me in cold blood if we even entertained the idea of us sharing a bed and I'm almost positive Akio doesn't trust me to be alone with you. You could room on your own Yuna, but I think we'd all feel better if you were with one of us, just in case."

Besides, Akio was stronger than he was, he would protect her better.

* * *

He would look through the rooms to find that a lot of them had either already been taken by people who had no interest in having a roommate and a soft sigh would leave him before he would knock on yet another door, eyes widening when his gaze happened to meet teal and for a moment he was completely silent before sighing and stepping into the room as he closed the door behind himself before plopping himself down on the bed, knowing that Gaara more than likely wasn't going to let him leave now that he knew he had arrived anyways.

"You took longer to get here then I thought you would. I thought you would be one of the first teams here." Those dark blues wouldn't open for the longest of moments as he would simply lay there, a soft sigh leaving him as he would try to think of what it was he was supposed to say to that. His eyes would slowly open as he would stare up at the ceiling before sighing again.

"We kind of ran into a lot of trouble on the way to the tower." He would muse quietly, knowing that Gaara was waiting for him to finish explaining himself as he felt the weight of his stare on him again. "I suppose I should start with the whole, If it would have been just us then we would have been fine thing, but that's not how I really feel. We happened to come across a few teams but all of them had the same scroll we had. Then we decided we would check in on a few of our fellow ninja who we happen to be close to and saw them cornered by this creepy grass ninja. So, of course, we have to help them because she would have killed them. The grass ninja kicked our asses and turned out to be fucking Orochimaru of all people, you know, one of the legendary Sanin"

He noticed that Gaara seemed to tense up at the mention of his name but chose to ignore that for a moment before continuing on. "So he says that he's going to kill all of us except for two. Those two being Akio, who has this long, complicated relationship with Orochimaru because of his uncle who is Orochimaru's..who the hell knows what he is. The second one being Sasuke, you know, the boy with the blue shirt who you kissed me in front of? Him. He managed to knock me and Yuna out along with Naruto, the blonde boy in the orange. Before Akio and Sasuke managed to beat him. Then the bastard sends those damn sound ninja to try and kill us again. It was just a mess."

His head would fall back against the pillow with a soft thud as he would sigh once again, arm moving to cover his eyes as he would wait to hear Gaara's response, surprised at how calmly Gaara was taking it before he would speak softly. "The genin from the Sound village. Orochimaru. I'll be sure to kill them all in the most painful way possible once these exams are over."

Wait, what?

"Gaara! No! Killing isn't the answer to everything! I appreciate your concern, really. But really don't worry about it. Sasuke taught them a lesson, I promise you. It's okay." Everything would remain silent between the two of them for a long moment before he would feel the bed that he was laying on sink with the added weight and he would move his arm, allowing his eyes to look up into Gaara's.

"Yuuki. If something were to happen to you-"

"Gaara. Things happen to people all of the time, it's a fact of life. You can't always keep me safe or sheltered, just like you can't kill everything that looks at you funny. I don't know what happened to you Gaara..and I'm sorry that the world made you this way when you were the cutest, sweetest boy ever as a kid. But, if there is one thing you ever do for me, do not kill on my behalf." His hand would reach up to cup Gaara's cheek gently, smiling as he saw that gaze widen as those cheeks would darken in that cute blush again.

"I take it back you still are cute." He would grin teasingly at the younger boy, snickering softly as his gaze would avert from him before speaking. "But seriously, I meant what I said. I want to hear you promise me that you won't do it for my sake. Promise me." He would watch as Gaara would sigh softly before that gaze would meet his once again.

"Fine."

"You really are too cute~ Gaara all I want to do is pick you up and cuddle you all night long~"

"What is wrong with you? Did you hit your head in the forest or something?"

"You wanted me all to yourself, remember? That means enduring all of my habits, quirks and everything else. You made it very clear to me that you don't want me giving my attention to anyone else, so now you're stuck with me~"

"I'm starting to regret everything."

"Too late, you're stuck with me now~"

* * *

It would be three and half more days before they were told that they all needed to meet up in the training area, Yuuki joining both Yuna and Akio with a warm smile before they would come across Team Seven who were looking a little bit worse for wear, something that made their brows rise as they would join them. "You three look like shit." He would state bluntly, brow rising as the glares would turn to him and he would hold up his hands in self-defense. "I am just saying. What the hell happened to you now? I thought we helped you through the worst of it."

"You did. We were unlucky enough to get into a fight with ninja from the Village Hidden in Rain. Other than that, we're fine." Sasuke would grumble, glaring darkly at Sakura who would open her mouth to say something, something that did not go unnoticed by the genin on Team One, each of them sharing a look with one another as they came to the same conclusion.

Sasuke was hiding something.

He had been about to say something before they were ushered to stand in line with their teams, with their team captain standing at the very front and it was with a sigh that he would move to stand behind Akio, blues facing straight ahead as he would listen to the instructors speak. Then the third Hokage would step forward, explaining the history of the Chunin exams before going on to say just why they had them. Just as he was about to mention the third portion of the Chunin Exams a very sickly looking man would interrupt, letting them know that there was going to be a preliminary round before the third part of the exams.

God damn it.

They would listen as he would tell them all that they would have to fight one another and that the winners of the preliminary exams would be the ones who would move on to the third portion of the exams, where there would be spectators watching. They were told that the names would be drawn randomly and choose who they were to fight randomly and as the first two names were put on the board, his jaw would drop open.

Akio Koyabashi vs Daiki Hideaki.

Oh boy.

* * *

They would all be told to go to the upper levels to watch the match below, Yuna and Yuuki both joining their sensei in watching Akio stretch, that icy gaze never once leaving its opponent who they found out had been a member of Haku's temporary team. Bodies would tense as the saw the arrogant look on the boy's face as he looked over Akio's body, but it was his words that really made their blood boil.

"Ahh, I knew I recognized the name. You're the boy whose uncle ran off with Orochimaru right?" They would watch as Akio's gaze would simply narrow, face remaining completely stoic as he showed no further reaction to the boy's taunting, even as the boy continued to mock him. "I remember hearing so many great things about your clan, about how they used to produce the best ninja and how your clan was once so honorable. Tell me..how does it feel to have all of that tarnished just because your uncle decided to bend over for the wrong man?"

"I imagine it must feel the same way as having to mock someone in order to make yourself feel as though you're worth anything, then again I couldn't be sure because I've never had to stoop to that level in order to feel good about myself." Akio would smirk upon seeing the angry coloration in Daiki's cheeks, body getting into position as the judge would make the call, allowing them to start the battle and as that boy would throw multiple kunai with him, he would simply scoff quietly, body flickering behind him and landing a kick dead center in his back, sending him flying before he landed face first on the floor.

"What's wrong? You were so confident when you were mocking me before. Talking down on me and my clan because of what my uncle did. Did you forget your so-called skills or are you simply all bark and no bite?" That was enough to coax the boy to jump up, eyes glaring darkly at Akio before he would move to form hand signs.

"Wind Release: Gale Palm!" Akio would smirk as the boy would attempt to use a wind technique against him, allowing his chakra to pool to the bottom of his feet so he would be secure against that technique before his own hands would form signs for his own technique.

"You're brave to try using wind against me. Let's put an end to this. Fire Style: Fireball jutsu!" He would hold the traditional ring shape over his mouth before breathing through it, release a huge fireball that only grew and grew as it consumed the weak wind jutsu, watching as the boy jumped out of the way and scoffing slightly before making hand signs once again, using the body flicker as he would appear behind him.

"You really should watch your back better, this is the second time I've gotten behind you." He would muse calmly, watching as the boy would quickly turn around only for him to body flicker away once again, this time appearing to the side of him. "You're much too slow. I'm starting to get bored." He would chuckle calmly, before jumping away as the boy would attempt to punch him, a dangerous look appearing in those icy eyes before he would smirk.

It was time to teach this boy a lesson.

He would watch as the boy would run at him, kunai drawn and he would simply stand still, hands behind his back forming signs before activating his jutsu as he would allow himself to be stabbed, disappearing as a log would take his place. "Shit! Where the hell are you, coward?! Stop running and face me like a man! Or are you a coward just like your un-"

"This is the third or fourth time you've brought him up. I'm starting to think someone might have a crush on him. He is pretty, I suppose if you like things like that." The boy would look all around him trying to find just where that voice was coming from. "Unfortunately, you see, my uncle has a really bad taste in men. Even so, he would never go for a pathetic little worm like you." The words were whispered in his ear and the boy would spin around to find no one there.

"Turn around." The minute he would follow that suggestion he was greeted with a fist to his face, the stoic male smirking slightly as he heard the sickening crack that signaled that he had managed to break his nose before he would fall over, knocked out from the pain of having his nose broken. "Pathetic. He talked so much and he couldn't even back up his talk. I hate that sort of arrogance." He would scoff before turning his gaze to the judge as he announced that Akio would be moving on and as the next match was announced and it was revealed that Sasuke would be fighting another ninja, he would smile at him as they walked past each other.

"Good luck Sasuke. Wipe the floor clean with him." He was gifted by a smirk as he would join his sensei and teammates, a sigh leaving him as he would move to lean back against the wall as they would simply stare at him. "Yes?"

"You went easy on him."

"He was a talentless waste of space with no ability. I wasn't about to waste my energy or chakra on someone who couldn't even land a hit on me."

"I suppose he was rather pathetic. That makes me wonder if poor Haku was the one who got them through by doing all of the work. Or if he was just the weak link on their team. It could have been either one really." Yuuki would muse before the judge would announce that Sasuke's fight was to begin, drawing everyone's attention.

It became very clear very fast that things were going to be difficult for Sasuke.

They would watch as Sasuke got pinned to the floor by the weird guy, watching as he would clamp his hand on his head as he began draining him of his chakra and as Sasuke fell limp before kicking him in the stomach and kicking him away from him. They would watch as the boy would avoid any attacks from the older man before Naruto would mock Sasuke for looking weak, something that spurred him on before he would disappear, kicking the man up and into the air before slamming him down on the ground, knocking him unconscious.

The judge would then step in and would declare Sasuke the winner of match two before Kakashi would body flicker down to be by Sasuke's side while reading a book. They would watch as the medics carried his opponent out on a stretcher before being rejected by Kakashi as he told them that he would take care of Sasuke. He would reject the boy's request to stay and watch the rest of the preliminaries before taking him away.

It was then announced that the third match would begin and as they all looked towards the screen, his gaze would widen as he saw his name as the first one that would pop up.

Followed by a Hotaru Itou.

Oh god, he was supposed to be fighting a girl?

He would watch as the girl would leave Haku's side, making her way down the stairs before with another long-suffering sigh he would make his way down the stairs as well, muttering soft curses under his breath as he would stand across the battleground from the girl who seemed to be sizing him up, smile twitching slightly as he saw the look that she gave him before speaking.

"My, My. I know that I'm good looking but you know maybe you should just take a picture, it will last longer." That smile would falter slightly as she would scoff before rolling her eyes.

"Please. I'm just wondering why the hell I had to get stuck fighting a Sunagakure reject that Konoha took pity on. I've heard stories about you, how you're a pathetic womanizer who sucks at everything but genjutsu and how the academy only let you pass because the instructor felt bad that your parents died on a mission. A low ranked one at that."

Oh, this witch was pushing her luck.

"Y-YOU! GAH! YUUKI KICK HER ASS! I DON'T CARE IF SHE IS A GIRL, DO IT!" He couldn't help but smirk as he heard Naruto's voice in the audience, tilting his head back to smirk at him before the proctor would tell them that it was time for the match to begin and as the girl disappeared, he would simply stand still, smiling that bright smile.

"Oh..you're fast~" He would purr slightly, eyes falling closed as he would allow his chakra to switch quickly, smirking as he sensed her behind him, quickly drawing a kunai. "But then again, so am I." He would duck as she would move to stab him, slashing her in the stomach before quickly body flickering away, putting a good amount of distance between the two of them before smiling darkly at her.

If she thought he was going down easily, she didn't know what he had planned.

* * *

The girl would glare at him as she would hold the wound on her stomach before smirking as she would disappear, Yuuki's gaze narrowing before he would chuckle, mind already racing as he would quickly form hand signs, waiting for her to reveal herself again and as she revealed herself, going straight for his face with her kunai, he would quickly put up his hand, allowing her to stab him before he would disappear.

Soft laughter would plague the girl's senses as she would try to locate Yuuki, flinching as she felt the ghost of his breath, a faint brush of his touch and yet she could not seem to find him no matter what she tried. Her brow would furrow and her heart would race before she would recall what the boy was known for and would immediately bring her fingers up in the release sign.

"Release!"

"Mmm...Not bad. But you're a bit too late." She would look around to see that he had placed paintings around her, the colors too vibrant to just paint and as her gaze would move to meet Yuuki's, he would grin darkly. "You say I'm known for just my genjutsu and for just creating illusions. Implied that I am just a one trick pony and I can't say that I'm very happy with that. Why don't I show you just how real of a threat I can be?" He would purr softly once again, gaze darkening as he would activate the final sign of his jutsu.

"Hiden Technique: Art of Life!"

He would watch as the paintings would react to the presence of his chakra, immediately erupting from his canvas as vibrant vines would shoot towards the girl, chasing her in her various attempts to dodge her before managing to secure her in place as he would make his way slowly over to her, smirking darkly before speaking. "Why don't you surrender now? I'd hate to have to subject you to anything else from me. You see, my mind can be a very twisted place, especially when I'm angry-"

"-Go to hell! I'll never surrender to a punk like you!" That was enough to make him sigh softly, shaking his head before he would pout. "What is it with all of the pretty girls having the absolute worst manners, I swear the only ones who-"

"-Yuuki. Get on with it already. Stop wasting our time." Oh, someone didn't like that he had called her pretty, did he? It was enough to make him chuckle as he would gift Gaara a playful wink before blowing a kiss up to him, something that made everyone else's jaws drop.

"Since you asked so sweetly, I suppose I have no choice. The things I do for you Gaara~" He would purr playfully up at him before his gaze would become emotionless as he would turn his gaze back to the girl bending down and pressing his hand to the vines and allowing his chakra to collect to his palm allowing it to mix with the chakra in his paintings.

The reaction was immediate.

The vines would immediately shoot up towards the ceiling, taking the screaming girl with them before stopping and curving, dangling the girl tauntingly over Yuuki as he would pull out another scroll, allowing a bit of his blood to fall onto the scroll before it would reveal another painting and the girl would watch in horror as he would pour his chakra into this painting, revealing four human-like figures who would smile up at the girl before disappearing.

"I'll give you one more chance to surrender before I scare the living shit out of you~" He would warn cheerfully, smirking as he saw just how pale she was at seeing his little works of art come to life and yet, like a fool she would cling to what little bit of courage she had left.

"F-Fuck off! I-I told you I'm n-not losing to you!" A sigh would leave him before he would snap his fingers and vines would erupt around her, the creatures emerging from inside the vines as they surrounded her with sinister smiles, their normal features morphing into something demonic as they would close in on her, attacking her and leaving her screaming as she thrashed trying to get away from their attacks.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I GIVE UP! MAKE IT STOP!" He would simply smile up at her, hands behind his back as he pretended to contemplate her words before sighing and snapping once again forcing the creatures to disappear before the vines would release her from their hold as they sank back into their painting, leaving the injured girl falling for a moment before Yuuki would quickly pool the chakra into his feet leaping up and catching her before landing smoothly as he smiled down at the terrified girl an amused glint hiding in those blue eyes.

"Perhaps next time you will be more polite when you fight someone and maybe next time you won't belittle them before the battle had even begun." He would muse darkly before dropping the girl carelessly onto the ground as she fainted, turning his gaze to the stunned proctor before smiling at him. "I believe this is where you say I've won. Good job and announce that I'll be moving on, right?"

"R-Right. Um..the winner of the third battle is Yuuki Saito. He will be moving on to the next round." He would give a warm smile before turning around and slowly making his way back up to the rest of the audience, body trembling from how much chakra that jutsu really had taken him to use. He would stop for a moment as he would reach the top of the stairs, body trembling softly as his hand would help brace himself against the wall before deciding that this was probably as far as he was going to make it, allowing his body to slide down the wall as his head fell back, ignoring the stares as he would simply relax for a few moments.

"Yuuki! Are you okay?"

"You don't look too good."

His eyes would open and he would see a worried Temari and Kankuro leaning over him and for a moment he would nearly ask aloud why he always seemed to find himself drawn to them before he would sigh. "I'm fine. It's just..that was my first time using that jutsu in an actual battle so I didn't have any idea on just how much of my chakra it would actually take to use it. Never mind to actually have it do exactly what I want it to do. I'm gonna have to make some modifications."

Or maybe not paint giant vines ever again, that worked too.

"You should have left her to suffer more." A single eye would open as he would see Gaara leaning over him this time, fixing him with a very unamused look. "If it were me, I would have left her at their mercy for a lot longer."

"Good thing I'm not you." He would muse before he would smirk at him. "How did you like my little jutsu? And my little message for you during the match?"

"Your jutsu is unique. I am curious as to how you managed to come up with that idea. As for your message, you are a fool. But you're my fool, so I suppose I will just have to live with it since you will be mine for the rest of our lives. By the way, about calling that girl pretty."

"O-Oh look! They're announcing the next match! Damn, we'll just have to have this talk later."

Haku vs Shino Aburame.

Oh, this was going to be fun.


	10. Chapter 10

The moment that it was revealed that Haku was going to be fighting he would force himself to stand up, leaning heavily on the rail as he would watch both Haku and his opponent make their way down the stairs before moving to face each other on the battleground, Yuuki smirking as he saw just how calm Haku was. "I don't know who that boy is, but he has the worst luck possible. Drawing Haku is the worst thing that could happen to most of the people here." He would drawl lazily with a small smirk as he felt Gaara's gaze return to him.

"Explain yourself, Yuuki." Oh, someone was in a very bossy mood today wasn't he? The thought was enough to make him nearly laugh as he saw the unamused expression that was being gifted to him before he would decide to play nice and give Gaara the answers he knew the younger boy wanted.

"To put it lightly? Haku's faster than Akio, and I put together. He might even be the fastest person here, I think. He is very strong too, and well I would tell you the rest, but this is going to have to be something you see for yourself you won't believe me otherwise." He would watch as the proctor gave Haku, and his opponent permission to fight before watching in something akin to horror as the boy with the sunglasses summoned insects out of nowhere.

Ew.

"How very interesting. You fight with insects." Haku would muse with that same, polite smile etched onto his pretty face before those browns would narrow slightly, drawing out a scroll that he recognized as one of Yuna's water scrolls, pouring his chakra into it before throwing it as water splashed all over the place on the floor of the battlegrounds. "Let's see just how well your insects do against me, shall we?"

He would smile as Shino would send his insects flying at him before those browns would narrow as he would quickly begin weaving hand signs before the air would get noticeably colder in the room as he would activate his bloodline technique. "Ice Release: Ice Rock Dome of Magnificent Nothingness." Immediately a dome of clear ice would surround the boy as the insects would try to break through only to find themselves unable too, something that made the boy smile calmly through the ice before he would weave hand signs, causing the air to grow even colder.

Oh, he remembered this feeling.

"Aburame-san, Your insects will not be able to get through my dome and the next move that I make, I promise you will not like. Please forfeit the match. I would prefer to avoid causing you any unnecessary grief or pain if I can avoid it." His answer was nothing but silence, and he would simply sigh before gifting the other boy a weak smile. "Please do not say that I did not warn you."

"He is too soft. Even if his ice ability is impressive." Yuuki's gaze would never leave the match as he would chuckle softly, shaking his head as he heard Gaara's words which seemed to be enough to catch Gaara's attention again as he tried his hardest to come up with the proper words to defend Haku before he would speak. "You know Gaara, he does have a gentle heart I will give you that. But he's also got one hell of a sadistic side when he gets angry or upset. I would know. I've been subjected to the side of him more times then I care to admit. But like I said before, don't underestimate him. He'll surprise you."

Haku would take that moment to make an opening in his dome, quickly slipping out and kicking up water as he made his signs. "Secret Technique: One Thousand Flying Needles of Death." As the bugs would come flying at him the needles would come crashing down and pierce each one of the insects, causing their lifeless bodies to fall to the ground around him, something that clearly bothered the stoic boy he was facing. "I will ask you again Aburame-san. Surrender, or you will be next if you continue to allow this battle to go on. It has become apparent that since you fight with insects I will not be able to fight you with my preferred method which means I will have to resort to doing things that will cause not only yourself but your insects harm as well."

Still, the man was silent, something that made Haku sigh before he would weave hand signs once again. "Secret Jutsu: Crystal Ice Mirrors!" A small dome of mirrors would surround Shino before Haku would disappear into them, senbon drawn. "I am sorry that it had to come to this, but I will not hold back any longer. Forgive me." It was then that he would attack Shino in the same way he had attacked him, Naruto and Sasuke back in the Land of Waves, something that was enough to make him flinch as he heard the cries coming from the Aburame heir.

Oh, the poor boy.

It would be a moment before the cries would fall silent and Haku would allow the mirrors to collapse revealing the pierced form of Shino who had fallen unconscious due to the pain and as the proctor would run to check on him, Haku would simply sigh. "He is alive. I made sure to avoid piercing or hitting any vital points though his insects did make it hard. This could have been avoided had he just been more cooperative." As Shino would be carried out on a stretcher Haku would make his way up to the viewing area while the next names were chosen.

Yuna Tsukino vs Zaku Abumi.

One of those bastards from the sound.

Oh, Yuna had better win or he was going to be pissed off.

"YUNA! YOU CAN DO IT! KICK HIS ASS FOR US!"

Oh, Naruto.

* * *

As Yuna would stand across from the boy, her brow would furrow slightly as she would notice the state of both of his arms and the fact that he had not been able to seek medical attention. "Mister Proctor. I do not think that it's fair to expect him to fight me with both of his arms broken. Is there not a healer he can see-"

"Hey shut up you stupid girl and fight me as is! Consider yourself lucky that you've got the advantage considering you ran away the first chance you got in the woods." Those words were enough to make Yuuki pause as he would gift a very dark smile, killing intent all but leaking out from his being as he would chuckle softly.

"That boy must want to die~" He would speak with a tone so cheerful that it was enough to cause Temari and Kankuro to back away a few inches as they looked at him wide-eyed. "Or at the very least be locked away in the most horrible nightmare I can conjure up for his dumbass~ Oh the ideas I'm already having." He would make the asshole cry for his mother by the time he was done with him, he'd make sure of that much at the very least.

"Very well then." Yuna would speak softly, those blues narrowing as she would turn to face him. "I was trying to ensure that this would be a fair battle but if you insist on being stubborn then so be it." When they were given permission to fight the boy would come running at Yuna, aiming to hit her only to have his arm blocked as she would smirk. "Don't think I've forgotten how those hands of yours work. I'll just have to ensure you never get a chance to use them." She would activate her chakra scalpel, immediately driving her hand towards his torso and managing to slice him one good time in the chest before he would jump away, surprised to see Yuna running after him.

"I won't let you get away." She would state calmly, smirking when she saw Zaku move to lift his hand before using the body flicker technique to move behind him, pooling chakra to her feet before delivering a swift kick to his back, sending him flying into the wall, wincing as she heard the cry of pain that left him as he hit his broken arm, gaze turning to the proctor with a stern look. "Call this match off immediately! He's in no condition to fight! I've no idea why you allowed him to fight in such a condition!"

"I take it back. That girl on your team is the one who is too soft."

"She's a medic Gaara. Believe me, she's more than capable of kicking someone's ass but not when they already have one broken arm. I can see where she's coming from and why she is so irritated. It's unfair to him and it's almost an insult to her, having her fight someone who is already hurt and at such a distinct disadvantage."

"Y-Yes...The winner is-"

"Stay out of it you stupid girl!" Her sharp gaze would turn to the boy who would shakily stand as he would glare darkly at the healer. "Your job is not to patronize me! Here's what I think of your concern!" He would raise his hand, using his air attack and sending a huge black of air at Yuna, smirking when the attack was complete before his eyes would widen as she was nowhere to be found, only to flinch when a kunai was pressed snugly at his throat by the kunoichi who simply glared at him.

"I've had just about enough of you, you arrogant pig." Her voice was cold and eerily calm, something that was uncharacteristic of the usually kind woman as she would glare at him. "I did not want to hurt you any worse than you have already been hurt by Sasuke so I tried to get you help and all you have done is insult and belittle me. I will not put up with it any longer. I think it's time you have a nice, long nap so we don't have to hear that foul mouth of yours any longer."

He had been about to say more before Luna would deliver a well-placed hit to the back of his neck sending him falling to the floor as he fell unconscious, and she was named the winner she would simply give everyone a tight-lipped smile before returning to her place besides Akio and Ryosuke.

She was pissed, that much was very clear.

It would be at that moment that Kakashi would return and the minute that Yuuki saw Naruto, and Sakura react to his presence, he would smirk lightly, assuming that they were probably asking about Sasuke only for his smirk to widen as he would move closer to Ryosuke, whispering something in his ear that seemed to surprise the male before he would send a cautious look towards Akio.

Uh-oh.

For a moment his brow would furrow as he would try to come up with theories about what Kakashi must have told him in order for him to look at Akio like that, the most obvious of them enough to make him seriously hope that his theory was wrong. The last thing they needed was to have Orochimaru roaming about in the village unsupervised, and while he knew that Kakashi was a very skilled ninja, he also didn't dare to dream that he would be enough to stop the snake bastard from doing what he wanted on his own.

No one in the leaf village could.

* * *

He would be shaken from his thoughts a moment later when the next match was called, gaze widening as he realized that it would be none other than Kankuro who would be fighting. He would watch as he would simply smirk, something that seemed to annoy not only his sensei but Gaara as well as he glared at him before making his way down to meet his opponent. They would listen as the man said that unlike his teammate, he did not get careless with kids and that when he used his technique that he should give up no matter what.

Something that only made Kankuro smirk as he would promise to end the battle swiftly. As they were given permission to fight he would watch as Kankuro's opponent would run at him, fist raised to punch only for Kankuro to block. Then his hand would simply wind around Kankuro's, his body twisting around him like a snake, something that gave him the creeps as he was immediately reminded of how Orochimaru had wound himself around the tree back in the forest. He would explain that he was able to do this by dislocating all of his joints in his body before controlling his body with chakra and as he told Kankuro to give up or die, Kankuro would simply smirk before telling him that he would be the one to die.

He would then break Kankuro's neck.

For a moment his heart would stop, eyes widening in shock before swallowing roughly as he realized that Kankuro must have had a plan. There was no way he would have let the fight go on if he knew for a fact that he was going to die. It seemed as though Gaara agreed with his thoughts, merely scoffing before remarking that this whole thing was ridiculous.

It was then revealed that Kankuro had been using a puppet the entire time, his real body having hidden in the case that he normally would have used for his puppet. They would watch as Kankuro would use his puppet to constrict the other man, crushing him before the proctor would give Kankuro the win and as he would return to them, he couldn't help but grin. "Nicely done Kankuro-Nii. You had me scared there for a second. I thought something really had happened to you." That was enough to coax a laugh from the older boy as he would ruffle Yuuki's hair playfully.

"It'll be harder than that if someone wants to kill me. I'm sorry to have worried you though, Yuuki." They would all become distracted as the next match would begin and much to his great amusement, it would turn out to be none other than Sakura, and Ino who were to go against each other, a smile crossing his lips as he would hear Naruto cheering on Sakura as though his life depended on it.

Once they would get permission to fight, he would watch as they would go around each other using a very basic series of taijutsu before Sakura would throw kunai at Ino only for Ino to catch them before throwing them right back. He would watch as Ino would go to punch her only to end up giving her a weak slap instead. They would speak to one another, with Sakura mocking Ino by telling her that she was stronger than she was before taking off her headband and tying it around her forehead while Ino did the same. It was an interesting moment, but he could not help feel like he was missing something important.

Like, something that would make anything about what they just did make any sense.

They would watch as the two girls continued to go at it, seemingly evenly matched in skill, strength, and ability, something that only seemed to make the match drag on. They would watch as Ino would ask why Sakura was evenly matched with her before Sakura would mock Ino, saying that they were not evenly matched because Ino focused too much on her looks and growing her hair out, something that pissed the girl off so much that she chopped off her long ponytail before throwing at Sakura while saying she didn't need her hair.

She would then say that she was going to make Sakura say that she lost, hands forming a sign before pointing it at Sakura, causing the girl to run away only to end up getting tricked. Ino would trap her in a single spot while using the strands of her hair as a rope bound together by chakra which would force her to stand still before she would use the jutsu for real and would manage to take over Sakura's body. She would attempt to get Sakura to give up the match only for Naruto's words to break through her jutsu, forcing Ino to release Sakura.

That was certainly interesting.

Yuuki would watch as the both of them would run at each other, both managing to punch each other in the face and knocking each other out, ending the match in a draw with both of them not moving on to the third part of the Chunin Exams. Yuuki would smile as he would watch both of their senseis move to pick up the girls before bringing them back upstairs, that smile only grew when he saw the boys from Ino's team along with Naruto and Rock Lee fawning over their respective girls.

It reminded him of him and Akio whenever Yuna was hurt or sick.

* * *

It would be a few moments later that the next match was announced and the minute that he saw the names, his smile would become a grin as it was revealed that his favorite girl from Sunagakure was going to be the next participant. He would watch as the match would begin, brow furrowing as he saw that the girl from Rock Lee's team would be fighting and that she was a weapon specialist. While it was a perfectly valid way of fighting and he had nothing against the girl, in particular, he already knew how this match was going to end.

He would watch as Temari would deflect all of her attacks with ease before finishing her off with her wind scythe jutsu, catching her as she fell by using her fan as her black slammed down onto it causing her to cough up blood.

Poor thing.

They would watch as Temari would toss the girl to the side carelessly only for Rock Lee to go and catch her before she could sustain any more damage and the second that he saw Temari's arrogant expression, something in him seemed to burn. He would watch as Lee would attack her in name of his teammate and as Temari would block his kick, calling him dull, Lee's sensei would intervene as would Gaara, though, Gaara's words would only cause that feeling he had to worsen.

He belittled Lee and his sensei, telling Temari not to keep company with the awful looking boy and his chaperone forever, something that made him frown, brow furrowing before he would move away from Gaara, something that managed to capture his attention as those teal eyes would turn to him immediately. "Yuu-"

"Gaara...that was uncalled for. You and Temari should both be ashamed of yourselves." For once the smile was nowhere to be found on his face as a look of complete disappointment would form across his features. "If it wasn't for Lee. There's a good chance I would not have made it to the tower alive. He had our backs when we fought against the sound ninja. I don't appreciate you talking to him like that." He would turn his gaze to Lee whose eyes would widen upon seeing him with Gaara as if it were the first time he had noticed just where he was standing. "I apologize for him, and Temari Lee. I wish there was something I could say that would make this better, but I can do nothing more than apologize on their behalf." He would bow lightly in apology before fixing a stern gaze back on the sand siblings.

"If you'll excuse me. I'm going to go back and join my team now. Thanks for the company." He would ignore the protests from Temari and Kankuro, quickly body flickering away to where his team was located before Gaara could manage to stop him.

He was beyond irritated with him and Temari right now.

Once he would finally join his teammates, much to his embarrassment he would immediately be fussed over by his sensei while his teammates would watch with an amused look in their eyes, managing to escape only for Sakura and Naruto to surround him, praising him for his fight before the discussion would turn to Sakura thanking him for what he had done for her during her match with Ino. Apparently, he had been the reason she had managed to shake off the blonde in the first place.

It would be a few moments later before the next match would be announced, the names blinking on the screen to show that Shikamaru would be fighting against the sound ninja Kin. Blues would watch quietly as the girl would manage to make Shikamaru hallucinate merely from the sound of the bells that she attached to the ends of her senbon, something that made his brow furrow slightly as he tried his hardest to understand just how that was not only possible but how she had managed to come up with that idea in the first place.

It was absolutely brilliant, as much as he hated to admit it.

What was even more brilliant, was the way Shikamaru managed to win the battle, ensnaring her with his Shadow Possession jutsu before having them throw shuriken at each other, bending back to dodge it only to have Kin hit her head so hard that it knocked her out.

That was without a single doubt in his mind, his favorite win of the night.

* * *

The tensions were rising as the next match was announced, the names appearing on the board and after a long moment, the next two names would finally be announced.

Naruto Uzumaki vs Kiba Inuzuka.

Naruto was more than thrilled to be chosen, cheering with that determined look shining in those bright blue eyes, something that made all of Team One smile softly at the boy. "Good luck Naruto. Do your best and no matter what happens, we're cheering for you!" Yuna would be the first to speak to the boy followed by Sakura who would urge him to do his best.

"You've got this Naruto. We believe in you." Akio was the next person to speak, giving the blonde a calm smile before finally he would be the last one to say something. "You've got to make it to the finals Naruto. It won't be the same without you. Try your best to win." They would watch as he would make it down to the arena, their smiles becoming strained as they would begin fighting even before the fight had actually begun.

Then the match would begin.

Kiba would activate his beast mimicry jutsu, sending him on all fours where he would move so fast that it was hard to keep track of him up until he sent Naruto flying. He would watch as Naruto was sent back, laying on the floor and as he heard the soft murmurs, his gaze would narrow before he would tremble, eyes narrowing as he would grip the rail tightly, self-control wavering before he would find himself calling out to Naruto.

"NARUTO! COME ON! YOU'D BETTER NOT LOSE! WE'RE ROOTING FOR YOU! NOW GET UP AND FIGHT!" He would ignore the stares, eyes never once leaving Naruto's form before he would smile as he saw the boy get up, that smile widening as he would tell Kiba not to underestimate him before telling him to quit the tough talk and use Akamaru, something that Kiba promised him he would regret.

Then he would throw smoke bombs and everything vanished from their vision for the longest of moments, the smoke clearing to reveal what looked like a knocked out Naruto and a happy Akamaru and as Akamaru ran to Kiba's side, he would bite down on his arm hard, not letting go even as he was revealed to be Naruto using a transformation jutsu, the real Akamaru being held hostage by a shadow clone.

Very clever.

It was then that Kiba would feed Akamaru a food pill and his coat would turn bright red before he would manage to knock away the clone, running to Kiba as he would perform another jutsu, though this time, Akamaru would turn into a clone of Kiba. Yuuki would watch as Kiba and Akamaru's attacks became absolutely relentless, trying their best to take Naruto out and as Naruto jumped up to get away from their attacks they would hit him with a technique called fang over fang, which sent Naruto flying before he would slam down into the ground, bleeding horribly. He would listen as Naruto would mention that he could not lose because he was going to become the Hokage someday and as Kiba would mock him, telling him that he was too weak to become Hokage, his gaze would narrow and his grip on the railing would tighten.

He was wrong.

As he continued to mock the blonde boy, his blood would begin to boil beneath his veins, that rage subsiding as he couldn't stop himself from calling out to the younger boy. "Come on Naruto! Shut him up! Don't lose to someone like that! We believe in you and your dream! We'll be behind you every step of the way!" He would smile as he saw the blonde's surprised look, ignoring the stares he was given as he would focus on the only one who mattered to him at that moment.

"Win Naruto! You can do it!" He would grin as Naruto would turn to Kiba, telling him with that determined smile that if he tried competing with him for the title of Hokage that he would end up being the true loser. They would watch as Kiba would move to attack Naruto once again only for Naruto to trick Kiba into attacking Akamaru while using the transformation technique, knocking the dog out as he turned on him.

Poor mutt.

He would watch as Kiba would simply use his speed to get the best of Naruto, something that made him frown as he would watch Naruto get tossed around like some sort of toy before he would manage to pull out a move that had everyone watching in disbelief, farting in Kiba's face as he moved behind him. He would use that moment to kick Kiba up into the air before slamming him back into the ground.

Naruto Uzumaki barrage was what he called it.

A moment later Naruto was declared the winner and everyone would cheer him on, though as he returned to the viewing arena, he couldn't help but smirk as he watched him interact with a cute girl with short hair that seemed to have the biggest crush on the blonde in orange.

It was really cute to watch, actually.

When Naruto would return to their side he would continue to watch the girl and how happy she looked just to have Naruto accept whatever it was that she had given him that he couldn't help but feel bad for her. Maybe he'd have to lend a helping hand and give her a hand in getting Naruto's attention.

Or maybe he should save his meddling for after he got his own life taken care of.

A moment later the screen would come on again and would announce the next match.

Neji Hyuga Vs Hinata Hyuga.

Uh-oh.

This wasn't going to be fun.


	11. Chapter 11

Yuuki would watch the two cousins as they would move to stand across from one another in the arena, listening to Kakashi as he explained their relation to one another, eyes narrowing as he heard Rock Lee clarify that there was tension between the main and branch family. "In other words," He would drawl lazily as that gaze would remain locked on the two cousins as his fingers tapped a lazy rhythm against the metal bar of rail. "There's a very good chance that that boy is going to use this battle as a chance to get his revenge on the main family. That poor girl isn't going to stand a chance."

He could feel the gazes locked on him and yet he would continue to stare at the two ninjas who stood beneath and as the two would be given permission by the proctor to start his eyes would narrow as the boy would tell the girl to withdraw, telling her that she was too kind to be a ninja. She was too kind to be a ninja, so she must have been pressured into taking the test by her teammates. He would listen as the girl denied his accusations, telling him that she agreed to participate in the exams because she wished to change those parts about herself.

Then the bastard called her a spoiled member of the main family.

He would listen as he told her that people could never change, eyes narrowing as he told her that a failure would always be a failure no matter how hard they tried to change that about themselves. He would tell her that personality and strength could not be changed no matter what and since people did not change, differences were born amongst them. That was how the terms "elite" and "failure" were born. He would tell her that people judged and as a result were judged in return and that people were valued for their appearance, their brains, abilities, and body types, making humans sound as though they were nothing more than cattle meant for breeding.

This guy was really getting on his nerves.

He would continue to mock the girl, telling her that despite her brave words that she wanted nothing more than to run away from the battle and as Kakashi would explain to them about the Hyuga's Kekki Genkai, the Byakugan, he would scoff as his gaze would narrow. "I hate people like him who come from clans like that. They're arrogant and this guy definitely takes the cake. I don't know where he comes off acting like that when Ryosuke-sensei and Haku both have a Kekki Genkai as well-"

"Ah, you see Yuuki. Just because we do have a Kekkei Genkai doesn't mean much in the way you might think it does. Mine doesn't come from a specific clan the way that Neji and Hinata's does. Haku's ice release is known from coming from the Yuki clan, but in the Land of Water, clans are persecuted for having Kekkei Genkai unlike they are here. Haku and I come from a completely different world than Neji and Hinata do. We did not grow up with clan politics, so to speak, so it isn't really fair to compare us with them." Ryosuke would muse sadly with a tired smile as he would watch the two, wincing as he heard Neji's next words to her, the boy picking apart the shy girl's nervous habits as he told her that she was already envisioning her own defeat at his hands.

He would tell her that changing herself was absolutely something that she could not do until he was interrupted by a furious Naruto who made it known that she could change herself. He would tell Neji that he did not have the privilege of deciding what a person was going to be like before calling him stupid, something that made the illusionist smirk down at him as he saw the pale-eyed boy turn to glare in their direction. He would chuckle softly as Naruto would tell Hinata to fight back before saying that he was getting irritated watching this already, something that reminded him so much of himself, though he could never hope to be as honest with his feelings as Naruto was.

Aside from the occasional outburst, that was.

"He's right you know." Much to his surprise, Akio would speak for the first time since his match, loud enough to be heard, smiling down at the girl as her gaze turned to him as well. "People are more than capable of changing. Don't listen to him and try your best. It's obvious that people here believe in you. If Naruto here is rooting for you to win then it's obvious that my team, and I will simply have to do the same. So don't lose to him, alright?" His words were enough to surprise him and Yuna, who would simply gift each other with a bewildered gaze before Yuuki's smirk would simply widen as he came to the realization that even Akio couldn't stand this guy. If even the person who was usually the most rational and level headed person on their team didn't like him, then that meant that this guy had some serious problems.

Akio usually tried his best to see the good in everyone, aside from traitors and people who he dubbed flirts or perverts.

This truly was going to be one hell of an interesting match.

* * *

He would watch as Hinata would manage to calm down from the words of encouragement, fixing Neji with a determined stare before she would activate her own Byakugan. They would watch as the two got into position, Lee talking about how the strongest genin in the Leaf Village was on his team, something that made both Yuuki and Akio scoff quietly to themselves. "I'd like to see him take on Akio, Sasuke, or Haku. If he can beat any of them, then we'll talk about him being the strongest. Until then, my bet is on them." Yuuki would speak watching as the two beneath him would begin fighting. He would watch as they struck out with open palms before either blocking or dodging each hit.

It was an interesting form of Taijutsu, that was for sure.

They would watch as Hinata finally landed a hit on him, Lee going as far as to explain to a confused Naruto what chakra networks were after it was made clear that the Byakugan was able to see them. Then their eyes were drawn back to the battle as a hit was finally made, Yuuki's dark blues narrowing slightly as it was unclear just which one of them had actually been damaged until a moment later when Hinata would spit up blood. Her eyes would then narrow as she would slap away Neji's hand from the center of her chest, going to strike him only for Neji to hit her arm, pulling back her sleeves to reveal numerous bruises all over her arm before he would send her flying.

He would continue to mock her, telling her that the difference between their skills was undeniable and that she was going to regret stating that she did not want to run any longer. He would tell her that she would abandon herself to despair before telling her to withdraw from the battle. She would force herself to stand up, stating that she would not run away, that she had meant every word she had said. She would stick by what she said because that was her Ninja way. As she would stand, blood dripping from her mouth with that look of determination across her features, he did not miss the way that she looked at Naruto with that hopeful look.

She truly did love Naruto, didn't she?

He would watch as the poor girl would cough up blood, eyes narrowing again as he listened to the others speaking about how Neji's strength should be against the rules before Naruto would interject, shouting towards Hinata while yelling that she could beat him only for Neji to end up striking her in the jaw once they started fighting again. They would watch as she would gather up her strength one last time to charge at Neji only for the boy to end up striking her directly in her heart, causing her to spit up blood as she would collapse.

It appeared she was finally done.

He would listen as his fellow genin would speak about the damage done to her before his eyes would soften into something akin to pity. He would watch as the proctor would try to stop the fight only for Naruto to intervene, the blonde boy telling him not to stop the fight. "Naruto, that's enough. She's been hurt enough. If she continues she's going to-" He would trail off as his eyes would widen as the girl would force herself to stand despite everything that had been done to her. He would listen as Neji would tell her to give up because she was weak and that she no longer needed to suffer.

Hinata would tell him that he was wrong.

She would tell him that he was suffering much worse than she was, that she could tell that he was the one who had been torn up over the fate of the head and branch family. They would watch as he became enraged, running to attack Hinata only for there to be a poof of smoke and as it cleared it would be revealed that the proctor, along with all of the jonin senseis aside from Asuma were restraining him from attacking Hinata, Ryosuke gifting both Neji and Guy a dark smile. "My, my. What a foul little temper you have there. Best get that checked before it leads you down an even darker path than the one you are already heading down, boy. As for you Guy, you should have better control over your student so things like this do not happen!" Those golden eyes would narrow as he heard Guy scolding the boy before Neji would roar out that there was no need for all of the other jonin to get involved, asking why the main branch got special treatment.

Then Hinata started coughing and spitting up more blood.

"Yuna!" He would for the team's medic, eyes watching as she would jump down from the rail quickly approaching the Hyuga girl's side followed by Naruto, Sakura, Lee, Akio, and Yuuki, whose gaze never left the suffering girl even as Yuna would begin healing the damage done to her. He would listen as Neji would call out to Naruto, addressing him as a failure before stating that he had two pieces of advice for you and before he could even get started, Yuuki would whirl around as he gifted the arrogant ass the same dark smile his sensei had gifted him only seconds before. "You know, I have one very particular place in my mind where you can take that advice and shove it you arrogant pric- mmph!-" His mouth would quickly be covered and he would be restrained by a very annoyed Akio.

"Now is not the time or place, Yuuki. With any luck, one of us will be fighting him in the finals and we'll deal with him there. Besides. Your boyfriend up there seems a bit wound up. The last thing we need is you getting into a fight and him getting involved." He would speak calmly, icy eyes narrowed at the smirking boy who seemed more than amused that he had stopped the illusionist from picking a fight with him before he would simply avert his gaze, knowing that nothing good would come from any interaction with that jackass at that moment, releasing Yuuki a moment later as he would calm himself down.

Then Neji would give his so-called advice.

He would tell Naruto to stop his revolting cheering before also telling him that a failure would always be a failure, something that caused the tension in the air to thicken. It was enough to make Naruto charge at Neji only to have both Rock Lee and Akio stop him from actually attacking the Hyuga, Lee sliding in front to block his path while Akio physically restrained the straining boy from attacking. Lee would tell him that he understood where Naruto was coming from before also telling him that all fighting must be done in an official match before Akio would chime in.

"Besides. Someone like him is never worth the extra effort it would take to teach him a lesson. Save your energy Naruto. Don't waste it on someone like that. Go and help Yuna tend to her. That's the best thing that can be done right now." He would watch as Naruto would do as he asked, sighing softly in relief before moving to follow him, ignoring the piercing gaze on his back.

He would have nothing to do with Neji Hyuga after this, he would make absolutely sure of that.

* * *

Yuuki would remain by Yuna's side, watching as she would do her best to heal whatever damage had been done by the asshole and while she looked to be doing a bit better, there was still the fact that blood was leaking from her mouth. "I believe that she was starting to go into Ventricular fibrillation. I managed to negate the most serious risk of her falling into cardiac arrest by pumping my chakra into her heart to get it starting again. At the moment it is pumping normally, but it is best to get her looked at by the medics." She would inform the girl's sensei who would nod before calling for the medics who would immediately come running towards Hinata, they would watch as they would lift her onto the stretcher gently before carrying her away.

Her condition was still serious enough to be considered an emergency, even though Yuna had managed to heal her heart.

Poor thing.

He would watch as Naruto would gather up Hinata's blood in his hand before promising that he would win no matter what happened, something that made his gaze soften even more. As much as he wanted to be the one to teach that asshole Neji a lesson himself and as much as he wanted to see either Haku or Akio wipe the floor with him, he thought that maybe, Naruto might be the best person to face him after all.

At the very least, he could hope so.

* * *

He would watch as the board would come to life once again, waiting for the names to pop up only for Gaara to teleport down to the arena with his sand, somehow already knowing that he was going to be the next one to battle and as he felt that heavy gaze on him again, he would simply choose to ignore it, looking the other way with a soft sigh as he knew that Gaara would not be pleased with his lack of attention towards him.

Even though it served him right for being a jerk to Lee.

"Your boyfriend doesn't look too happy Yuuki. He's looking right at you too, what exactly did you do?" The accusation from Akio was nearly enough to make him twitch, though he would ignore it as his gaze would fall to the board just in time to see who Gaara would be fighting, heart falling into his stomach when he saw that Lee of all people was supposed to be fighting him and for a moment he would swallow roughly, gaze falling to Gaara only to see that he seemed more than pleased to be fighting the person he had gone out of his way to defend against him earlier.

Shit, his defense of Lee was going to come back and bite him in the ass, he already knew it.

For a moment he thought about flirting with Gaara again solely to help ease some of the ire that he knew the red-haired boy had to feel towards the Taijutsu user, swallowing roughly as he jumped down to meet Gaara, only to have the cork to Gaara's gourd thrown at him for him to quickly catch it as Gaara glared darkly at him.

Yeah, Gaara was mad.

He would watch as the proctor would announce the match and Lee would run at him, jumping up to kick him only for Gaara to be protected by the sand. It was then that Gaara's sand would rise up before crashing down in an attempt to attack him, Lee quickly jumping out of the way and landing a safe distance away as the sand would retreat back into his gourd. Lee would then try attacking him again only for the sand to block each and every single one of his attacks while Gaara simply stood there with his arms crossed, looking completely unamused by the situation he was in.

Then he would speak.

He would ask if that was all Lee had before asking him to entertain him a bit more, saying that there was not enough blood yet, something that caused Yuuki's blood to run cold as he watched Gaara's sand rush towards Lee, catching him by the leg as he tried to dodge and tossing him into the wall. Lee would then dodge the sand as Gaara continued to try and attack him, only to end up slipping and falling. He would watch as Gaara's sand would attempt to crash down on him only for Lee to jump, landing on the very top of the hand statue as he looked down at the sand user, something that made him very nervous.

This couldn't be good for his heart.

He would overhear Lee's sensei talk to Sakura as she asked why he was not using any Ninjutsu to try and fight Gaara only to find out that the boy in question had almost no Ninjutsu or Genjutsu skills, something that made him hiss quietly. As he felt all of the attention shift to him, he would draw in his breath quietly before swallowing roughly, trying to gather his words before finally speaking. "No offense sir, but that probably makes him one of the worst possible opponents for Gaara, period. I've known him since both of us were children and he has never once managed to get hurt. Someone who can only use physical attacks against him is the worst possible opponent. I'm worried that he might not stand a chance." His words seemed to go unheard as the taller man would simply tell Lee to take something off, watching as Lee would comply happily, removing what looked like some tiny little weights before dropping them and causing the ground to shake slightly from the force of those weights hitting the ground.

Holy crap.

Yuuki's gaze would widen as Guy would give Lee permission to go and Lee would all but disappear, something that visibly shook up Gaara as Lee appeared behind him and tried to punch him only for his sand to shoot up just in time to protect him. He would watch as the boy would move quickly, eyes widening as his strikes actually managed to get past Gaara's sand. He would watch Gaara get more and more flustered, eyes widening as his gaze strained to try and see Lee through his speed. A gasp would leave him a moment later as he managed to get through Gaara's sand, kicking him in the head and forcing him to look down. He would watch as Gaara would obtain a cut on his cheek before he was sent flying as Lee would punch him, wincing slightly as he watched.

He might have been upset with him, but it was still Gaara after all.

He would watch as Gaara would slowly stand, blood running cold once again as he saw all of the sand that was spilling from his gourd, watching with wide eyes as he saw the expression on Gaara's face along with the fact that he had been covering his body with sand the entire time, meaning that the real Gaara did not have a single scratch on him. He would listen as Gaara would ask Lee if that was all that he had before watching Lee unwrap the bindings around his arms before taking off, running in a circle around Gaara so quickly that he could not see him. Gaara would tell him to hurry up and bring it on, something that made Lee laugh as he would kick Gaara up into the air, continuing to kick him up higher and higher before wrapping him up in bandages, constricting him as he would begin spinning him around before slamming him into the ground headfirst and jumping away, leaving Gaara to lay there against the broken pieces of the floor, at least that was what it looked like until it was revealed that Gaara was nothing more than a sand clone.

Oh shit.

"Lee, withdraw now!" Yuuki's calm facade was all but gone now, midnight blues panicked as the boy in green would look at him in confusion. He would watch as Gaara would appear behind him with that sinister look on his face, gripping the railing tighter before he would turn his pleas to Gaara. "Gaara don't hurt him!" He would feel that stare fixate on him, would meet that bloodthirsty teal gaze before swallowing roughly and speaking. "I'll do anything you want Gaara, just don't hurt him." He could feel his friend's blood lust and killing intent from all the way up there on the viewing arena, blood running cold as the boy would only chuckle darkly.

"Yuuki. I'll finish with this boy here and then I'm coming for you." The words were spoken in something akin to a purr and the look in his eyes was enough to make his face lose it's color until he felt a hand squeezing his shoulder, blues looking up to meet gold. "If it becomes too much, I'll step in just as I did with Hinata to stop him. We have Yuna here to heal him as well and I promise, I won't let anyone hurt you. Relax Yuuki, you are safe." He would nod quietly, watching as Gaara would simply begin toying around with Lee, hurting the poor boy and making him scream out in pain.

This was too much.

He would watch as the boy would somehow regain his movement and began dodging the sand as it came to hit him once again. He would listen as Gai would mention that Lee was capable of using a technique that would open five of the inner gates, eyes widening as he saw Kakashi grow serious before scolding Guy, not missing the look of disapproval that Ryosuke shot him as well. Guy would immediately become defensive, saying they knew nothing about Lee only for Ryosuke to interject harshly. "We don't need to know anything about that poor boy to know that you're a fool for teaching him something that can end in his death, Guy. I understand wanting to help your students the best you can, but that is just reckless. I would never teach my students any technique that could end in their death and I'm sure I can say the same for the rest of us as well. There are other ways."

Guy would become enraged and would tell him that all he wanted was to teach Lee the best way to protect something that was the most important to him, something that made Ryosuke sigh as he would shake his head. "I don't know why I even-" He would fall silent as he felt a hand squeeze his shoulder, gaze moving to meet Kakashi's who would simply smile at him despite the tension. "I understand how you must be feeling and I find your protective instincts over these students to be admirable and while I do agree with how you must be feeling, being at each other's throats is not going to help Lee or anyone else here." Ryosuke would simply sigh, turning his attention back to the battle, not missing the way Kakashi's tough lingered on him for the longest of moments, fingers trailing down his arm before grasping onto his hand, taking it into his own and squeezing it, something that made his gaze immediately shoot towards Kakashi in question only for his cheeks to heat up as he saw the way that he looked at him, immediately turning his gaze back to the fight just as everyone else was.

Damn Kakashi.

* * *

Yuuki would watch as Lee would activate the hidden gates, his body turning red as his chakra flared out around him. They would watch as he would move quickly, the force of his speed enough to tear up the ground before he would move to kick Gaara, the air from the force enough to hit them all with an unpleasant burst of air as the gravel went flying. Lee would keep him up in the air as he continued to hit him, peeling away the sand armor, before sending him flying down, grabbing him by the sash around his waist to keep him up in the air and in his grasp before he would punch and kick him, sending him down into the ground.

That was the Hidden Lotus.

The force was enough to send a wave of dust and gravel towards them, making all of them cover their faces to protect them from the flying debris in the air and for a moment, all was silent as the dust settled, allowing them to see just what had happened. They would watch as Gaara was left trembling as he lay in a pile of sand, hand rising as he looked at Lee. That was enough to make Yuuki's body lurch forward, ready to jump off to try and intervene only to be restrained by Akio and Yuna. "No! He's going to hurt him!"

They would watch as the sand would creep towards Lee, forming a hand and as Lee would try to get away, body in too much pain for him to move effectively. He would watch as Gaara's sand would surround Lee's arm and leg before he would manage to crush them in his sand, making Lee scream out in pain. "Sensei!" Yuuki would cry out as he saw the sand creep out towards Lee, sighing in relief as he felt a movement only to watch as both Guy and Ryosuke stood in front of Lee, Ryosuke's body positioned in front of Lee as a shield while Guy managed to dispel the sand, both of them glaring at Gaara much to the boy's surprise.

"Why save him?" He would ask the two jonin, looking up at them in shock as he stared at the broken boy, for a moment greeted by nothing but silence before Guy would speak. "He is an important subordinate who I care greatly for."

That was enough to make Gaara stumble back for a moment before his gaze would turn to Ryosuke who was watching him warily, searching for any sign of another attack before Gaara would turn his attention to him. "You! Why get involved if he is not even your student?!" Ryosuke would stare at him for a long moment before gifting the boy a tired smile. "Because I promised a person who is very precious to me that I would step in if his life was ever in danger. The same precious person who you should have listened to when he begged you not to hurt Lee."

That was enough to make Gaara's gaze shoot up towards Yuuki, who was watching everything with those damn blue eyes that made him feel more than anything else in the world could. "Yuuki." He would stand, his sand returning to form the shape of that familiar gourd as he would make his way towards the purple haired male. "I quit." He would say before stopping to turn around as Lee would rise, standing in a fighting position, having already lost consciousness and as Lee was gently placed on the ground, they would call for medics, Yuuki stopping Yuna from going down there as he watched Gaara heading their way.

"Yuna. No. I don't know what Gaara is thinking right now and he doesn't like you. I don't want to risk him hurting you too. He's coming this way so stay behind me." He would watch as Naruto would jump down to go to Lee, flinching as he heard the sound of sand next to him before a hand clamped down on him, making him immediately shove Yuna back towards Akio as he heard that familiar voice. "Yuuki. I told you that I would be coming for you next." The red-haired boy seemed back to normal for the most part and what he did next was enough to make his nerves immediately flare.

He tugged him towards him as if he was going to take him with him, only for Yuuki to find himself ripped away from the red-haired boy. Two pairs of blues would glare at Gaara as both Yuna and Akio would place themselves protectively in front of the stunned purple haired boy. "I thought your infatuation with Yuuki was harmless at first, that it was cute even but if you won't even heed Yuuki's request to not harm the person who saved our lives, I can't imagine what other requests you will ignore later on down the line." That was Yuna as she glared deeply at the boy, ready to put her life on the line to keep her teammate safe.

"Leave him be and get out of here. I doubt that he wants anything to do with you after what you did to Lee and if you try to force him into anything, we will stop you no matter what it takes." Akio's icy eyes would narrow sharply as that teal gaze would stare deeply into his before that voice would speak once again.

"I suggest that if you don't want to end up the same way that horrible looking boy did, you step out of the way and give Yuuki to me." The two members of Team One would stand firm, glaring at him and as Yuuki would see his sand start to move, his heart would race only to sigh in relief as Ryosuke would appear once again, standing in front of the three with that golden eyes narrowed on the boy.

"I'm going to pretend like I didn't just hear you threatening my students, otherwise we're going to have a problem. I am, however, going to ask you to leave. Without Yuuki." That seemed to only make Gaara angrier as that teal gaze would glare darkly into Ryosuke's golden eyes and sensing an uprising conflict coming, Yuuki would do the one thing he knew would help him avoid it.

He would put on that fake smile of his and sacrifice himself.

"Sensei, it's fine. Same to you Yuna and Akio. I appreciate you both stepping in and trying to protect me but I think things will be better for all of us if I just go with him." His smile would widen, trying his hardest to convince not only himself but the other three members of his team that he was alright with all of this before turning to Gaara. "Let's go, Gaara." He would accept the hand that was offered to him, choosing to ignore the smug look Gaara gifted to his teammates as his sand would surround the two of them, bringing them to Temari's side who would greet Gaara softly before fixing a nervous look to Yuuki who simply ignored her, choosing to watch the last match.

Choji vs Dosu.

He hoped Choji would beat him.

His hopes were quickly crushed as the sound ninja would beat him almost immediately leaving the final match concluded before he had even really realized just what had happened, something that made him immediately sigh as the proctor would announce the conclusion of the preliminaries. All of the finalists would gather down on the ground, facing the man as he congratulated all of them for making it this far before the third Hokage would speak, saying that he would be the one who would explain the process of the final round of the exams.

They were one step closer to this ending this exam.

Thank god.

* * *

Unknown to all of the ninjas there, a short distance away from them, Kabuto was bowing in front of two figures as he reported the conclusion of the preliminary exams, stating that the final exams were to be starting soon, something that made Orochimaru chuckle as he made a remark about how this land had become so peaceful, snakelike eyes watching as the tanned hand of his companion would reach out, a bird landing carelessly on it before another hand would move to gently caress the bird's head.

"This peaceful time has put this land in slumber while the other nations are busy racing to build up their military. It's almost sad..then again, this is something you've always wanted for the village you loved so much, isn't it Akira?" The brown-haired man would pause in petting the bird before, with a sigh he would lift his arm up to the sky and allow the bird to fly away. Golden gaze watching with a wistful gaze as he looked up at the sky before speaking softly.

"Perhaps at one time, yes." He would continue to watch the sky for a moment, tensing up as he heard those footsteps approaching him before forcing himself to relax as he felt those arms wrap around him, tugging him close to his body. "Mmm...my Akira. The way that you look at the sky is how some people look at their lovers. Should I be jealous, concerned? You're not planning to leave me...are you?" That grip would tighten around him in warning, daring him to speak the wrong answer before the brunette would simply scoff.

"Jealous of the sky now are we? Your insecurities know no bounds. If I have not left you yet, it won't happen any time in the near future. Unless you break the two promises you made to me," Those golden eyes would narrow as he would tilt his head back to meet the amused gaze of the snakelike man, observing him for a moment before turning his gaze away. "Then my loyalty, body, and heart remain yours to do as you please with."

Possessive bastard.

Kabuto would take that moment to interject, asking the two of them if it would be possible for them to take the village now and Orochimaru would turn to face him, arms still around Akira as he would muse that it was possible, though he did not know how much fun it would be to take out the old man, something that caused Akira to scoff as he would turn his gaze to Orochimaru, ready to scold his lover only to be beaten to the punch by Kabuto who suggested that he was hesitating.

This would be the start of another great war between the shinobi villages and the death of Sarutobi would be the thing that started it all. He would listen silently as Orochimaru and Kabuto went back and forth, with Kabuto telling Orochimaru that he felt as though he didn't trust him completely yet because he had left out certain details about what he had planned during the chunin exams. He would listen as Orochimaru gave him the orders to abduct Sasuke because Kakashi had managed to seal his curse mark away and there was something that was troubling him.

Naruto Uzumaki.

He would listen as Orochimaru would tell Kabuto that he needed to get Sasuke away from him because Naruto managed to hold some influence over him and was capable of altering his heart and mind. Orochimaru needed him away from him so he could morph the boy into a suitable vessel for himself, before deciding to mess with Kabuto's head by telling him that if he wished to stop him that his best bet would be to kill Sasuke since he had no hope of killing Orochimaru since while he was strong, he was only about as strong as Kakashi was.

"Or you could always try for my Akira. Though I don't know if you'd have the heart to kill him. You two have always been rather close..have you not?" That was enough to make Kabuto's eyes widen for some reason, though Akira would simply sigh, annoyed as his eyes would narrow. "Enough with the teasing. It's grown bothersome. Kabuto you can go now. He's just playing his games again."

Once he had finished speaking, Kabuto was immediately off, something that made the snakelike man laugh softly. "You have to know that the boy does have some sort of feelings for you despite the age difference between the two of you. He sees you as the pretty butterfly trapped in my web and he would probably do anything you would ask of him, even if it meant going against me." He would all but purr as he held the pretty man even tighter against his body. "Little does he know, that you're just as twisted as I am, though you hide it behind that pretty face and gentle demeanor. I can't help but wonder if he would become disgusted with you if he knew just what you have done in order to keep your nephew safe from me."

For a moment his words would be greeted by silence as Akira would simply inhale before he would turn around to face the older man, hand reaching up to gently caress his cheek. "I've said it once and I will say it as many times as I need to. I will do anything it takes to keep him safe..be it from you, the village or anyone else who would put him in danger." He would lean up, lips hovering over Orochimaru's as those golden eyes would stare up into his lover's. "Even if it means selling my body and soul to the devil himself."

Anything to keep Akio safe.


	12. Chapter 12

Each and every single one of the remaining contestants for the Chunin exams would listen silently to the Hokage as he spoke and as he stated that the final round of the Chunin Exams was to be held in a month, they would hear Naruto complain as he questioned why it would be happening so much later. The Hokage would inform them that they would have a month to prepare and hone their skills, along with giving the Hidden Leaf a chance to send out the proper announcements as well as make the proper arrangements to house the people who would be attending to watch the final matches. It was something that made sense in theory and yet, Yuuki found himself more, and more disillusioned by the fact that they would essentially be entertainment for nobles and everyone else.

Something about that did not sit right with him.

They were told that they would all need to draw pieces of paper from a box that the proctor from the second exam was holding, Yuuki sighing softly in exasperation as he saw that he had managed to get the very first number, brow furrowing slightly for a moment as he prayed for the chance to get to fight Neji. As they were told to say their numbers he would zone out for a moment, only coming back to attention when the man would reveal a chart showing each and every one of them who they were going to be fighting against and what battle they were going to be fighting.

The first was him and Haku.

The second was Naruto and Neji.

The third was Yuna and Akio.

The fourth was Sasuke and Gaara.

The fifth was Dosu and Kankuro.

The last battle was Shikamaru and Temari.

It was with that information revealed that they were allowed to leave and for a moment his heart would fall inside his stomach as his gaze would meet the surprised look on Haku's face, biting down on his lower lip before sighing and making his way over to the long-haired boy, smiling at him before speaking. "I just wanted to say, good luck Haku. I know the both of us haven't always seen eye to eye but I'm looking forward to facing you in the finals. Train hard because I don't plan on losing to you."

"I could say the same to you, Yuuki. Train hard and try your best to improve on your taijutsu, you might just need it when the two of us fight. We may be allies now, but I will not pull any punches. Not when it comes to this." The two of them would smile at one another before going their separate ways, a sigh leaving him as his mind began racing, trying his best to try and think of what was going to help him against the ice user despite knowing that the boy already had him beat in almost every possible way.

"Yuuki."

Son of a bitch, he was really starting to hate the sound of his own name.

It would be with a sigh that he would turn around to face the red-haired boy who looked at him with an expectant gaze, arms crossed over his chest as those teal eyes stared at him with such an intense gaze that he almost felt as though he was naked under that stare and for a moment, he would consider just what it was he wanted to say to the boy. He was still very angry at the fact that he had hurt Lee. He was still angry at the fact that he and Temari had treated his fellow leaf ninjas poorly. Perhaps the thing that bothered him the most was the fact that Gaara showed little to no remorse over the fact that there was a chance Rock Lee could never be a ninja again.

This boy was not the same Gaara he had known, that much was absolutely clear to him now.

As those blues would meet those teal eyes again, his resolve would harden and he would simply gift the younger boy that same distant smile as his walls would immediately rise to protect himself from the pain of having realized that the one he cared for no longer existed. "I'm afraid this may be the last we'll be seeing of each other for a while. I will be busy with training for my match against Haku and you will be busy with training for your match against Sasuke. We do not need to distract each other from our training. Perhaps it is best we part ways now."

"No."

"Excuse me?" That smile would twitch and he could not hide his annoyance at being denied what he wanted, despite his best efforts as those eyes would narrow the slightest bit, wondering just what it was the younger boy was playing at.

"You think I do not know when you are trying to close yourself off to me? I know that you are angry with me. I will not allow you to run away from me or close yourself to me. You will spend the month training with Temari, Kankuro and I. We will help you win against the ice user." That was enough to make his brow rise in question as he would fix the boy with a bewildered look. "Gaara, you three and I have no business helping each other train. There's a chance we could end up fighting each other and furthermore-"

"-I will be the one training him. It is my job as his sensei after all." They would both turn around to find Ryosuke smiling darkly at the both of them, golden eyes shining brightly as he stared at the Sunagakure genin before turning his gaze to Yuuki, that gaze immediately softening as his hand would move to ruffle his hair. "I'm going to be making arrangements for Yuna and Akio to train with other instructors who I know are more than capable of helping them, so my attention can be completely focused on training you for your battle with Haku." He would smile brightly before turning his gaze back to Gaara, that smile dimming slightly. "He will be pretty busy these next few weeks. I would suggest that you listen to Yuuki and focus on your own training. There is a chance you might end up fighting him at some point and I would rather you not know anything about what it is I may or may not be teaching him."

With that said, he would smile warmly at his student before gesturing him to follow him, something that he gladly did, taking one last look at Gaara before he did to see that the boy did not look happy at being rejected as his training partner.

Why did he have the feeling that this was not going to be the last he saw of him?

* * *

The next few weeks would find him meeting up with Ryosuke at his normal training grounds, though on this morning, in particular, he was surprised to find the golden-eyed man sitting there alone. "Where are Yuna, and Akio?" He couldn't stop himself from asking, eyes widening when he saw the smile on his face become strained before he would answer.

"I have them training with completely different people for the remainder of the month, as I said before. I will not reveal anything other than the fact that Yuna and Haku will be training together to help her prepare for her match against Akio. Akio's mentor is a complete secret and I have warned him not to share that information with anyone, even you. Now then, let's begin with your training. I know that I previously have spoken against you focusing solely on genjutsu, but I found something that will ultimately help you out." He would draw out a scroll from his pack before offering it to the confused boy watching as he would open it and would see various names printed before his. "Do you know what this is Yuuki?"

"It looks like some sort of scroll."

"It is a summoning contract from Kumogakure. As you know, my family originates from the Hidden Cloud and as you may or may not know, my father was known for his Kekkei Genkai, which I inherited while my mother was a known user of genjutsu. She brought this contract with her in the hopes that I would be her successor when I got older and while I can use genjutsu, I have a feeling that you will put this to better use than I ever could. You'll need to sign your name, using your blood." He would watch as Yuuki would bite down on his thumb before using the blood to sign his name into his contract and once he finished, Ryosuke would continue to instruct him.

"Gather chakra in your palm and press the hand you signed the contract with to the ground. If you put too little, you'll summon a younger and weaker summon, if you put more, you'll get a more experienced animal. You've got some of the best chakra control I have ever seen so I don't think you will have too much of a problem with this." He would muse before watching as the younger boy would do as he asked, watching as the contract appeared on the floor before a poof of smoke would reveal a medium-sized owl that wore a hidden cloud headband.

"Mmm...it's been so long that I was starting to think we had been forgotten about Asa- who are you two?!" The owl would all but screech as she would look between Ryosuke and Yuuki with a look of alarm on her face, wings flapping as she got ready to go on the offensive, Ryosuke quickly stepping in before she could manage to start attacking them. "It's me, Ryosuke. I know it's been a while but surely you remember me?" That seemed to be enough to calm her down slightly, wide eyes looking between the two of them again before speaking once again.

"That doesn't explain why I am here. Where is Asami?"

"Mother passed away a while back. She left me the contract for the owls in hopes that I would take to genjutsu just as she did, but, I found you guys a better match than me. This is Yuuki, my student, and also one of the best genjutsu users I have ever seen. I believe you owls may have finally found the summoner that you have been waiting for." He would watch as the owl would observe Yuuki closely, causing the purple haired boy to smile down at her before she would immediately hop up, flapping her wings as she flew over to him and landed on his shoulder, immediately nuzzling him affectionately.

"He is so cute! Oh, he's even cuter than Asami was, the others are going to absolutely adore him! Of course, we'll accept and help him!" That was enough to make both of them nearly fall over from the sheer surprise of Yuuki being accepted so quickly, though they would contain themselves long enough for Ryosuke to turn to the boy with a smile.

"Excellent. Yuuki, these owls are the perfect summon for you because they are excellent for helping set up your genjutsu. They also have the wind release and are known for using wind techniques which can help you in the long run, even if you do have a lightning release which is usually weak towards the wind. The owls can also connect to your chakra, which is important because it means that you can use them as an unassuming way to help set up genjutsu. But enough talk for now. Now we're going to practice."

Practice they did.

Ryosuke was determined on improving his physical condition, mainly focusing on his stamina and taijutsu, having him spar with him until he could last longer in a battle with him. He would tell him that although he knew Yuuki had no plans on facing Haku in a taijutsu battle that it was important to build up his physical condition to help show those that would be coming to watch his match that he would not be a liability if he were to be promoted to chunin.

Next came his training with the owls.

It was easier to incorporate the birds into his fighting style than he had originally believed it would be because the birds were very versatile and could be adapted to whatever role he needed them to fill. Most of them were also very easy to get along with as well, though he had not managed to summon the queen of the owls yet, who was said to be a bit more difficult to work with than any of the others. Apparently, she was kind of a bitch who was known for disliking children and there was a very good chance she would refuse to work with him, even if he did manage to summon the haughty queen.

There was also a chance she would try to attack him since she apparently had not been too fond of Asami either.

Great.

* * *

Once his training had concluded for the day and he was finally released from the training grounds, he would make his way through the village center, mind in shambles as he tried his hardest to come up with a sound strategy for his upcoming fight with Haku. He knew that despite the training he was enduring with Ryosuke that there was no chance he would be able to take on the talented ninja with Taijutsu. Not only was he not a match for Haku's strength, but the boy could also use his water needle technique on him at any point if he chose.

He would have to fight him from a distance.

He would also have to stay far away from the range of Haku's ice mirrors, something that was impossible unless he managed to take out the boy before he even got a chance to use the mirrors, to begin with. The first thing that Haku did whenever he fought was to surround the area with water so he could use his jutsu at any given point during the fights, so his best bet was to make the water unusable for him or to try and ensnare him in a genjutsu before he even had a chance to use the water.

Even so, Haku knew about his genjutsu so he would have to be very careful not to give anything away. There was always the owls, but the memories of how Haku had dealt with the Aburame boy's insects were more than enough to make him hesitate when it came to the idea of using animals or summons against the ice user, even if they would ultimately prove to be helpful in the fight against him.

He would use them only if he ran out of options.

A sigh would leave him as his hands would run through his hair before immediately messing it up in his frustration. The best thing he could think to do was to use a lightning style technique to make Haku's water unusable from the very start and even then, there was a very good chance the ice user was already prepared for the chance that Yuuki would choose to do such a thing, to begin with. His best bet was to stick with what he knew and trap the boy with genjutsu from the very beginning.

He would have to be very careful.

There was a good chance that he would have to come up with an entirely new illusion and that he would have to scope out the arena where the last rounds of the exam were to take place just so he could have an idea of what the place would look like when it was filled to the brim with people. There was also a part of him that wanted to lock himself away within his parent's old bedroom to create a few more paintings that he could potentially use against in his battle against Haku, recalling just how much chakra his last paintings had taken for him to properly control even with his excellent chakra control. He needed to make something that was just as effective to control during a battle that wouldn't consume nearly as much chakra as the vines had.

It wouldn't do for him to faint immediately after the battle was done, after all.

He would be lost in his thoughts for the longest of moments, gaze locked on the ground while his mind ran wild in an attempt to try and come up with an idea of something he could use and as such, he did not pay proper attention to his surroundings, body smacking soundly into the form of another person only to have two hands move to steady him before he could fall over.

"Are you okay?" Yuuki's gaze would rise to meet none other than the gentle blues of his female teammate, gaze softening as he could not stop himself from smiling. There was something about the girl's gentle presence that always managed to soothe him no matter what was troubling him and it was with a gentle smile that his hand would move, gently ruffling her hair.

"I'm fine now that you're here, Yuna. Though I'm kind of surprised to see you here by yourself, I kind of figured you would be out and about with Haku since the both of you are training together." He would muse, not missing the way those eyes seemed to darken slightly as her smile would falter for a moment before becoming slightly strained, as though saying the boy's name had managed to cause her pain.

Did they have a fight or something?

"Haku decided to go and grab a few things from the marketplace for dinner tonight. He needed a distraction, I think. After training today we decided to go and see my mom and dad, he did not take it too well. It hit him harder than I would have ever thought it would. I can't help but feel bad since it was my idea to go and visit them. He just tagged along to support me, I think." He did not miss the guilty edge that her smile took on as she continued her explanation, brow furrowing as he did the one thing he believed would help comfort her. Arms wrapped around the surprised female as he tugged her into a tight hug, simply holding her as he would try to come up with the words to say.

"Yuna. I think I know what was going through his mind. I don't think he was bothered by visiting your parents. Haku, he loves you. We all do, but he loves you the most out of us. I don't know if you realize it but when you see your parents, you try and act brave. You try to be strong for all of us so you don't worry us but it only makes us worry even more. It's okay to not be okay Yuna. It's okay to cry and rely on us when you need us. You're always the pillar of strength. You and that stubborn ass Akio. " He would scoff slightly at the thought of his other teammate before continuing on with his words.

"You both need to realize that you can rely on me to be strong sometimes too. You need to rely on Haku as well. He knew your parents as well, so I imagine he knows how you feel better than anyone else does. So as much as it kills me to say this, trust in him. He won't let you down, you know." He would fall silent as those arms would wrap around him, returning the hug as her face would move to bury itself in his shoulder and he would remain silent, rubbing her back gently as he felt his shirt material grow wet.

He knew she needed this.

It would be a long moment before she would pull away, hand moving to wipe at her eyes before she would shoot the illusionist a grateful smile despite everything. "Thank you, Yuuki. You truly are the greatest friend, and teammate I could ever have asked for." The way the blue haired girl would smile at him was enough to nearly make him melt, the purple haired boy swallowing roughly as he would look away while his cheeks darkened in a blush.

"It's fine if it's for you or Akio. You two have always been there for me, the least I can do is return the favor. I always repay my debts." His brow would furrow slightly as he saw her gaze become wary and as she would gesture behind him with a calm motion, he would turn to face a very unamused redhead that was becoming a serious pain in his ass as of late.

"Hey, Yuna. I'm going to suggest that you go and find Haku immediately. You two should probably walk home together. Try to stay together until the end of the tournament, alright? I'm sorry for all of this again, by the way." He would mutter quietly to her, waiting for her to body flicker away to safety as his mind immediately began to try and come up with a way for him to get the hell out of there as quickly as possible without the other boy catching him all the while wondering just how the hell the boy was always there whenever he did something that he knew Gaara would not be happy with.

'Fate really has it out for me, doesn't she?' He would wonder to himself before sighing softly, hands forming signs quickly, watching as the boy's eyes narrowed slightly before he would speak quietly. "Multi clone jutsu!" With a poof of smoke, there would be five copies of him, all smirking quietly at Gaara. "If you can catch the real one, I'll go with you quietly. If not..you're out of luck Gaara~" With that last word spoken all of the clones would take off running except for one, a single brow raised as he looked at Gaara who stared at him unimpressed. "You'd better get chasing."

"Why are you not joining the others in running from me?"

"I don't feel like running. Besides, you think the real Yuuki would be stupid enough to stand here like a sitting duck after conjuring the chakra to make those clones in the first place?" For a moment all was silent as Gaara would stare deeply at him while Yuuki would stare back at him with that same smile before that smile would grow as he watched Gaara sigh as he began walking in the direction the first clone had run off in, stopping long enough to leave a final message with him. "Tell Yuuki that if this is one of his tricks, the very next time I see him I will just trap him in my sand before he even has a chance to say hello."

Once Gaara was completely out of earshot he would snicker silently, hands moving to cancel out the jutsu as his smirk would widen. "I can't believe that worked. I thought for a second he had seen right through me. As for trapping me with his sand, good luck. Now that I know what's coming, you'll never catch me." He would shove his hands in his jacket pocket before deciding that it would probably be smart to go to Akio's house and stay the night there.

Hopefully, Akio wouldn't mind a surprise visit too much.

* * *

When he would wake up the next morning, he would thank Akio profusely for allowing him to stay the night before slipping over to his apartment while taking great care not to be seen by anyone as he would slip in, relieved to find that his apartment had not been disturbed by an angry Gaara despite his fears. He would make his way over to his parent's bedroom, opening the door and shutting it behind him as he would make his way over to the blank canvas that sat in the middle of the dark room. For a moment he would eye the canvas with a blank look before moving to sit down on the stool that stood directly across from it, emotions fading away as his gaze became dull.

What to paint?

Fingers would caress the blank canvas with such a tender touch, almost as though the boy thought that it would shatter if too much pressure was placed against it. Eyes would narrow a second later before he would rise, moving to gather up his paints along with an easel before sitting down once again, mixing up the colors that he needed as he would begin to paint. He would recall the images of the dream that he had the previous night, of a bright, and colorful world that rained flower petals from the sky choosing to alter it until it fit something that would help him in battle.

A picture of himself looking up at the moonlit sky as flower petals fell down from the sky. His hand reaching up as thorny vines shot up from the earth below, surrounding him, constricting his movements and tying him down to the darkness of the abyss below him. Once the painting was finished, he would stare at it with a dull gaze, that brow furrowing as he watched the vibrant colors make the piece look like something out of a nightmare rather than the pleasant dream it originally had been.

Perfect.

His gaze would narrow as he would set that particular painting off to the side to dry properly. Mind already coming up with an idea for another painting though, he didn't know if it would be appropriate for him to create even if it would get him one hell of a reaction from the elder generation. For a moment the illusionist would simply sit there, debating the benefits and the consequences of using such a painting in the middle of a battle especially in front of the Hokage and the others who he knew deep down had played a part in what had happened.

Before he knew what was happening, his paintbrush was already gliding along the blank canvas, forming the outline of the forms that he had once known so well. Eyes would narrow as he would move to mix the colors that he knew like the back of his hand, eyes closing for a moment as he recalled the memories that he had locked away in the depths of his heart, ignoring the deep ache that tore through his body as he used those memories to help him complete the painting.

The smile was off.

The shade of pink didn't match his mother's hair.

His father's hair wasn't that shade either.

His brow would furrow as he would toss the failed painting to the side, immediately focusing on another canvas as he would get started once again. Brow furrowing in concentration as he would try his hardest to capture the wave that he remembered his mother's hair having. He tried to capture that gentle smile on her face, that same smile she had always worn whenever she was amused by something. He tried to recapture the calm expression that his father always wore. He tried his hardest to match the shade of his father's eyes, that subtle look of love that he always had deep in them whenever he would look at his mother or him.

Only to be disappointed.

His eyes would look dully at the painting that many would have considered to be an accurate portrait of Haruka, and Raiza. Yet, even with the vibrancy of the colors, even with the supposed talent that he had with painting and even though people told him time and time again that his paintings looked as though they were ready to burst from the canvas, as he looked at this particular picture he could not help but see it as dull and lifeless imitation of something that had been lost a long time ago.

His brow would furrow in curiosity and as he would form hand signs, his gaze would never waver from the painting as he would speak softly. "Hiden technique: Art of Life!" Without so much as flinching, he would watch as the artificial flowers would fill his apartment, eyes never wavering as two figures emerged like wisps of smoke, their figures reaching out for him as he was drawn into a cold embrace by the two figures.

Why?

Even though he had poured his love into each and every stroke of his brush. Even though he had carefully matched every shade, captured every wave of hair. Even though he had done his best to recreate the very thing he had been unfortunate enough to lose so early on in his life, as he was held by these creations of his twisted imagination, he felt nothing but emptiness and sorrow.

There truly was no recreating something once you lost it for good, it seemed.

The boy would simply sit there for a moment before he would draw his hands up, forming one last sign. "Release!" He would watch as the paint would flow back into the canvas, recreating the painting he had made only moments before and for a moment he would sit there quietly, startled as he felt something wet trailing down his cheeks, hand lifting and gently touching it before pulling his hand away, startled by the sight of water.

He was crying.

Even though he didn't understand why.

* * *

A soft sigh would leave the purple haired boy as he found himself at the hospital of all places, nerves flaring as he would murmur silently to himself, trying to build up what was left of his courage as he would make his way through the doors. He would swallow roughly as the smell of antiseptic would immediately hit his senses before sighing once again as he made his way through the hospital. He had overheard that Naruto had managed to land himself in the hospital and had come out of his self-imposed isolation to come and visit the blonde.

Maybe he would even drop by and see Lee.

Or Yuna's parents.

They had been friends with his parents back before they died, after all.

He would make his way to the room that the nurses had informed him that Naruto was in, peering in only to see that Naruto already had a visitor and that the boy was unconscious, sleeping the day away. It was nearly enough to make him smile, up until he felt a sudden chill in the air and immediately his brow would furrow as his gaze darted around, blues narrowing before he would close his eyes, allowing his chakra to fall into sensory mode.

That chakra.

He had only felt it before once, during Gaara's match with Lee.

His gaze would narrow as he would swallow roughly as he tried to come up with the best solution to deal with the problem at hand. Part of him wanted to run and find a nurse or doctor, the other part of his mind telling himself that if this was Gaara he was sensing, that doing such a thing would only end badly. He would hear Naruto stir and as a result, would listen to the conversation between Shikamaru and Naruto, hand running through his hair as he thought about going to those two for help for a moment before tossing that idea away as soon as it crossed his mind.

If he was going to deal with Gaara, he would have to do it himself.

Shit, he hoped he wasn't too mad about what he did the last time.

His brow would furrow as he would allow his sensory skills to lead him through the hospital, chills running down his spine as he took in how unusually quiet the hospital truly was at this point. Dark blues would dart about as he took in his surroundings, not wanting to be taken by surprise by any means if he could avoid it.

Something wasn't right.

He would manage to find himself standing in front of a door, eyes narrowing as he could feel Gaara's chakra through the door, taking a deep sigh as he gathered his courage before yanking the door open, eyes narrowing as he saw Gaara standing at the foot of Lee's bed, simply staring at him.

"Here I thought you weren't one for sentimental visits Gaara." He would speak with a dull tone, eyes narrowed as he saw that body tense up before the redhead would turn to face him and the moment that he saw the look in his eyes, he knew what the boy had been planning, especially as he saw him clutching his head like he was in pain. Nevertheless, he would stand there calmly observing his childhood friend before speaking again. "But that had better be all that you're doing. I won't let you hurt Lee again, Gaara."

The minute that he saw that sand moving, he would move as well.

Unfortunately for him, Gaara seemed to know what he was about to do, for it was a moment later that he was slammed roughly into the wall, being pinned there by his sand as the boy would chuckle darkly. "I told you the next time I saw you that I would trap you with my sand. I meant every word of it. Relax and enjoy the show. I'll get to you shortly." He would struggle against the sand, glaring darkly at his best friend before he would attempt to call out for Lee to wake up, only to have his mouth covered by the sand immediately after.

That asshole.

His body would continue to struggle as he saw Gaara go to make the killing move, eyes widening as he saw Naruto and Shikamaru quickly stop Gaara with Shikamaru catching him in his shadow possession jutsu while Naruto punched him, outraged by what he was seeing. "You bastard! What the hell do you think you're doing to Lee and Yuuki?!" He would all but roar while his blue eyes burned with anger.

What made it worse was that Gaara simply stared at him.

"I asked you what the hell were you trying to do to them?!" Naruto would repeat himself, growing angrier by the moment as the redhead stayed silent, Yuuki trying his best to figure out a way to free himself from Gaara's sand before resigning himself to simply watch, all the while cursing to himself about the fact that he had not managed to learn any lightning release techniques.

That needed to change, soon and fast.

It was then that Gaara would speak, voice calm and quiet as that gaze bore into Naruto's. "I was trying to kill him. As for what I was doing to Yuuki, he decided that he was going to try and play the role of a hero and I simply moved him out of the way so he would not get hurt." Yuuki would watch as they would ask him if he had some kind of grudge against Lee and as he admitted that he didn't have anything like that, that he wanted to kill him simply because he wanted to kill him, Yuuki could feel his heart finally break.

Whoever this person was, wasn't his Gaara.

His Gaara might as well have died along with his parents.

Shikamaru asked if he had had a lousy upbringing before mentioning that Gaara only cared about himself, something that made the redhead pause for a moment as he considered those words before speaking. "I care for Yuuki. If I did not, he would have been dead by now with how much he has interfered. You two, however, I do not care about. If you try and get in my way, I will kill both of you too." That was enough to make Yuuki panic as he would renew his struggles, trying to break free despite the feeling of the sand constricting around him tighter in warning.

Gaara could kill him if he wanted, but he was not going to let him kill Shikamaru and Naruto!

He would listen as Shikamaru would bluff, telling Gaara that he was at a disadvantage because the two of them had not shown their true powers at the preliminaries and that Gaara was at a disadvantage because of the fact that it was two against one. He would tell Gaara to get lost, only for Gaara to warn them to leave or die once again.

Shit. Where was Ryosuke or Kakashi when he needed them?!

It was then that Naruto would tell him that he would like to see him try before Shikamaru would scold him, telling him not to provoke Gaara because he had the strength of a monster, only for Naruto to tell him that he wouldn't lose to Gaara because he had a real monster inside of him, something that Gaara seemed to be able to relate to.

Gaara would agree with Shikamaru's statement, saying that he had had a terrible upbringing. When he was born he had taken the life of the person Gaara called mother and as he said that his father had been the one to plant the monster inside of him, Yuuki's eyes would narrow before he would give some muffled cries, something that made Gaara lower his sand so he could finally talk, before saying that he was born a monster.

A monster called Shukaku.

He would listen to Shikamaru and Naruto's reactions to Gaara's words, sighing as he heard Shikamaru say that Gaara's father was twisted. "That's putting it mildly. My mother used to say that Rasa was the true monster for putting you, Yashamaru and your siblings through that, all for the sake of power." It was then that Gaara would scoff at the mention of love, telling Shikamaru not to measure him up to their standards, also telling him that he would tell him about the connection that he had with his family.

He would say that his ties were ties of hatred and that his family were nothing more than lumps of flesh to him. He was nourished by the life of his mother to become the ultimate weapon of the village as the Kazekage's child. He would say that he was left on his own and that he had been spoiled, overprotected, left on his own and taught the innermost secrets of being a shinobi.

He said that he believed that was love.

Then he met Raiza, Haruka, and Yuuki.

He was surprised to hear Gaara mention him at all with everything that had been going on and yet, he would listen to Gaara speak about their past together. He would listen as Gaara admitted that Yuuki had been the very first friend he had ever had. Raiza and Haruka showed him what love truly was supposed to look like and that Yuuki had been his first taste of what love was really supposed to feel like.

He didn't dare look at Naruto or Shikamaru.

Then everything went downhill.

He was surprised to find out that Rasa had been the reason behind his family's relocation to Konoha in the first place. Rasa apparently, had not appreciated the fact that the hidden sand's secret weapon was off pretending to get married to a boy from a nearly extinct clan of illusionists. He had apparently threatened his mother and father to either shun Gaara like the rest of the citizens did or he would turn his attention to Yuuki to get him out of the picture.

His mother and father, in turn, chose to abandon the village.

From there he would find out that Gaara's father had been trying to assassinate Gaara countless times since the time he turned six, exactly one year after he had left the Hidden Sand with his parents. He would listen as Gaara said that he had had emotional problems after he had left the village, due to him having been born through the jutsu he became unstable and the idiots in the sand began to realize that.

They were told that while he was a weapon, he was also a dangerous and feared presence and that he was deemed a dangerous figure the minute he had turned six. He would say that he was treated politely because the village feared him and that he was simply a relic from the past that they hoped would disappear. He would tell them that he had asked himself what he had in this life, why did he keep living and that when he asked himself that, he couldn't find an answer.

Nevertheless, to be alive one had a reason and if someone did not have a reason, it was the same as being dead.

So he came up with two reasons.

He would live to kill human beings other than himself and he would live to marry Yuuki, just as he had dreamt of doing back when he had been a child.

He would then give his reasoning, saying that he only felt calm after he killed the assassins that tried to claim his life before also stating that the only time he had ever felt true and honest love, was with Yuuki and that he was not going to let that go. He would say that he lived for fighting for them, that he lived for only loving him.

This world only served to make him feel the happiness that came with killing others and that as long as there were people for him to kill and as long as Yuuki lived, he would never disappear and Yuuki could honestly say at that moment that he had never been more scared of his friend than he was at that moment.

All of this time, he thought that Gaara was clingy and just had a hard time opening up to others. Never in his deepest thoughts would he have dared to imagine that Gaara had made what was supposed to be just a pretend wedding between children into something that became one of his sole reasons for wanting to live. He would swallow roughly, blood running cold as he felt all three of them looking at him, as his face grew paler and paler by the second as his anxiety began to shoot through the proverbial roof.

This...he didn't know what he was supposed to do with this information.

He felt as though he was about to shut down, felt his chest constricting and in his panic, he would do the only thing he knew how to do. He smiled that same crooked little smile that was filled with his illusions and lies as his mind simply shut down. He would watch with that same, empty smile as Naruto would back away, only coming back to reality when he heard Gaara's sand along with a shout, blinking slowly as he saw that Lee's sensei had broken up the fight.

He would tell them that the final round was to be in a few days and that they should not be fighting with each other. It was then that Gaara's sand that surrounded Lee would go back into his gourd, though Yuuki would remain pinned to the wall as Gaara would make his way over to him. Blues would stare dully into Gaara's lighter eyes, emotionless as the boy would cup his face into his hands.

Those bloodstained hands.

He would stare deeply into those eyes for the longest of moments, the purple-haired boy simply allowing the younger boy to do as he wished as he felt those lips brush against his own once again. "Yuuki. You will be mine." Those words were spoken so softly in a tone that sounded almost as broken as his heart was and for a moment, he wondered if Gaara really believed his own words or if he was simply trying to lie to himself the way that Yuuki had been doing this entire time.

He didn't say a single word, watching as the boy threatened to kill all of them before walking away and as the last traces of sand fell away from him, Yuuki would simply slide down to the floor as his body trembled, ignoring the cries of his name from Naruto as he would curl in on himself, giggling softly before bursting out into full-blown laughter, ignoring the worried stares he was given as he continued to laugh and laugh.

"Yuuki...you're..crying."

Again?

It seemed as though his lies he told himself were finally starting to come unraveled, the world he had built for himself on the backs of illusions and lies was starting to crumble all around him.

His carefully crafted mask was starting to crack as a result.

Ah, what a pain.


	13. Chapter 13

"Yuuki, open up! We know that you are in there! You can't just spend the rest of this time hiding away from the world! Let us in!" The purple-haired boy would lean back against the door as he listened to the words of his female teammate, eyes closing as he would release a shaky breath before choosing to remain silent. With any luck on his part, they would grow tired of camping out at his front door and would choose to give up after deeming him not worth to effort to try to cheer up. There was a part of him deep down that was touched that they would immediately come to him after having found out about what had happened, though the part of him that was pissed off at Naruto for telling Yuna and Akio about what had happened was much more vocal.

Even now, he couldn't help but curse at the well-meaning blonde.

He would listen to the quiet murmurs that would echo from behind his door before Akio's quiet voice would be the one to address him this time. "Yuuki. We know that you are upset about what happened with Gaara and you have every right to be. You don't have to suffer alone. All we want is to be there to help you through this. We are a team, so we share each other's joy as well as each other's pain, remember?" Those dull blues would stare ahead at his wall, wincing as his gaze fell upon the painting that he had painted in his sorrow the night before.

Gaara, his Gaara.

'I wonder.' He would muse to himself in the depths of his twisted mind. 'If I have been lying to myself this entire time. Can I lie some more?' The cries of his teammates would be lost to him as his hands would weave signs, eyes never leaving the painting as he would build up his chakra. "Art of Life" He would whisper in a broken tone, watching as the colors would swirl to life before leaving the painting and before he knew it, his heart would leap as he was face to face with the one person who still had his heart after all of these years.

So why did his heart feel even more broken when he saw that smile?

It's not real. It's not real. He's. Not. Real. He's gone. He's gone.

He's gone.

Just like his parents.

_"Yuuki."_

He could see those lips moving and yet, the sound of his voice was far away, muffled as though it was traveling a far distance before finally reaching him. Before he could stop himself, he would find his arms wrapping tightly around the smaller form of the child that had once been his best friend, ignoring the cold and hollow feeling of emptiness as he held the artificial being within his arms, ignoring the harsh smell of the paints that made up his being as he tried so hard to convince himself that this was his reality and the harsh truth was simply another one of his illusions.

Maybe, if he could no longer see the differences between reality and illusion, he could accept it better.

If he could hide away just a bit longer.

If he could lie to himself just a while longer.

Maybe he didn't need to see.

If his eyes only caused him pain in the grand scheme.

_'Wouldn't it be better to just get rid of them?'_

He would sit there, simply holding the painting within his arms for the longest of moments, eyes closing in defeat as the pounding of his door would become louder and louder, his little illusion shattering as he would draw up his fingers in the release sign to dispel his jutsu. "Release." He would watch as the colors would fly back into the painting, a soft and shaky sigh leaving him as he would rise to his feet in an unsteady motion, hand resting itself on the wall as he would slowly make his way to his front door, forcing his usual smile to fall into place before he would open the door. "There's no need to take your frustrations out on my poor door. I'm here-"

"Cut the crap Yuuki." If he hadn't been so tired and numb, his eyes would have widened at the curt tone that the usually sweet kunoichi had used with him as those sky blues would narrow at him. "If you think that we don't know to see past the smile by now, you're just as stupid as you probably think we are. Naruto told us what happened, why are you locking yourself away and trying to hide from us? Just the other day you lectured me about trying to always act strong and brave when I don't have to. Take your own advice and let us in Yuuki."

He wanted to but to let them in meant to admit that everything was wrong in the first place.

He didn't know if he could handle that.

His silence was enough to coax a response from Akio, whose icy eyes would narrow for a moment before he would speak. "Yuuki, please. Don't close yourself off again like you did at the beginning of our time together. We have all been through so much together. Don't let it be for nothing. Open your heart and share it with us. We will not betray your trust in us. We will do whatever we can to help you but you have to let us in."

"He's gone." He would murmur softly, brow furrowing as that smile would slowly fall from his face and upon being greeted with silence, he would hesitate for a moment before deciding to elaborate. "Gaara. The Gaara that I knew is gone. That boy isn't him. I tried lying to myself. I tried telling myself that Gaara was still Gaara but he's gone. Just like my parents." That smile would return to his lips a moment later as the unstable illusionist would try his hardest to reign in his emotions once again. "He said that killing is the only thing that makes him feel alive. He said that I was the only person who ever gave him love and his second reason for living is to marry me so I can love him and only him for the rest of my life."

He was obsessed with the idea of being loved by Yuuki.

"I just can't deal with this. I spent my life lying to myself about everything and I just-" He would trail off as he was tugged into a tight hug, eyes widening as he caught Akio's scent of all things surrounding him as his teammate hugged him so tightly that it was almost painful. For a moment, the purple-haired boy would simply stand there, staring ahead blankly at the wall as he tried once again to hide his emotions only to crumble as he felt the gentle embrace of Team One's medic as it joined Akio's.

Gaara was gone.

But at least he still had Akio and Yuna.

Ryosuke too.

* * *

The next few days would find him training harder than he had before, all the while hiding from the redheaded boy he had once held so dear. Once Ryosuke had been informed of just what had happened during his last encounter with Gaara it had been decided that it was for the best if he was kept secure and watched at all times just in case Gaara decided to try and come for Yuuki when he was alone. If he was not training with either Ryosuke or Akio, he was escorted by one of the two boys to the point where the illusionist was starting to feel suffocated.

Even so, he simply smiled and endured the feelings of being crowded, though inwardly he had never been happier than when the day of the final rounds had finally come. He would take the time to even dress in an entirely new outfit, choosing a long kimono top that was a deep shade of blue, a tight-fitting long-sleeved black shirt that covered his neck completely along with the traditional black ninja pants and sandals, his headband would find itself tied securely around his forehead rather than his waist like it had been in the past and as he would look at himself in the mirror, taking in the sight of his reflection, he felt strangely calm.

He was ready.

He would make his way through the crowds as he listened to most of the gossip that was drifting out of the villagers' mouths. Apparently, the ones that they were most looking forward to watching were Neji Hyuga and Sasuke. He would hear constant murmurs about how people were looking forward to the second match along with Sasuke's match against Gaara.

He wondered if they would still feel that way after they saw him fight against Haku.

He would make it to the arena before any of the others had shown up, dark blues looking around the arena in something akin to awe. While he had always seen the arena from a distance, he had never dared to believe that one day he would actually be fighting in it. He couldn't stop the smile that crossed his lips as his blood began pumping in his veins, ready for whatever it was that Haku would throw at him.

He was going to win this or at the very least, he was going to give the ice user one hell of a fight.

He had been about to wander off to explore a bit more when he heard his name being called and immediately he would turn around, brow raising as he found Akio of all people making his way toward him. "Thank god! I was hoping that I wouldn't be the first person here. Are you ready for today? Not only are you fighting Haku but you're going to be the very first match as well."

"I think so. Ryosuke-sensei trained me well over the last month so I'd like to think I will be able to handle Haku. Then again, he was training with Yuna of all people so I'm sure he learned some medical ninjutsu from her which might be a pain to deal with. Even so, I've got a few tricks up my sleeve. I won't go down without one hell of a fight. What about you, Akio? You're fighting Yuna of all people, I can't imagine you're feeling too good about having to fight her."

"I'm not. I think it was shitty of them to put both of us against each other knowing that we are on the same team. That being said, I told Yuna that she had better not pull any punches because I will not be going easy on her just because she's my teammate and she agreed, so hopefully, this will be like a more intense sparring match than anything else. My sensei for the month trained me well and I can only hope that Haku did the same for Yuna."

"Are you kidding? You know how Haku is. He probably trained her to the brink of exhaustion then apologized profusely right after. It's no secret here who he must want to win your match. Just be grateful Yuna can't learn his ice release or you would be screwed. Who was your sensei anyway? Ryosuke-sensei never told me who was training you."

"I had two of them, Genma Shiranui and Raidō Namiashi. They're the Hokage's bodyguards and apparently, both of them owed Ryosuke-sensei one hell of a favor because they took my training very seriously. I am very fortunate because those two are very powerful shinobi and between you and me, I think Genma-sensei might have something of a little crush on Ryosuke-sensei. If all else fails and hin and Kakashi never end up together, Genma might not be a bad second choice. Speaking of which, where is he anyway?"

"I saw him this morning. He said that he was going to try and track down Kakashi and Sasuke before this begins. He said he has an idea on where they have been hidin out and he seems to think that they'll miss everyone's matches if he doesn't." Honestly, he was probably right when he stopped to really think about it. Kakashi was not known for being on time and no one would know that better than someone who had known Kakashi for all of their lives.

That was how he saw it at any rate.

* * *

They would wander around the arena for a while until they were ushered to join the other finalists and as he would walk out onto the field to join the others, he would pointedly ignore that teal gaze, mentally sighing in relief as Yuna, Akio, and even Haku would move to get in between him and Gaara. A quick look around would show him that both Naruto and Sasuke had not yet arrived while the ninja from the sound was also missing.

This did not bode well.

It would be a moment later that Naruto would come sliding into the arena, Yuuki gifting the boy a bewildered look as did the rest of the ninjas present, a smoke cloud being the only thing to divert their attention as a grumpy looking Sasuke would stand a few feet away, a smirk immediately coming onto Yuuki's face as he realized that Ryosuke had not only managed to find him but he had probably dragged the both of them kicking and screaming all the way to the arena while he was at it.

His sensei was so badass sometimes.

As Shikamaru would help Naruto up, Naruto would mention something about rampaging bulls before the guy with the senbon in his mouth would tell them not to be restless and to show their faces to the spectators. It was enough to make Yuuki twitch slightly as a fake smile would cross his lips, a single hand lifting and waving to the people who cheered, smile faltering as they grew wild just from that simple gesture.

This was not going to be enjoyable.

His gaze would lift to the area where the Hokage was sitting, eyes narrowing as he saw none other than Rasa making his way over to the Hokage, a smirk crossing his lips as that blue gaze would darken slightly. He could not wait to show the man that had once threatened his life just what he was capable of now, just like he couldn't wait to show the Hokage the trick that he had up his sleeve.

He wondered how they would both react to seeing him bring the dead back to life, even if it was just through his paintings.

He would show everyone the true power of his illusions along with what he was capable of until they could no longer tell the difference between reality and illusion. As the Hokage would speak, those blues would never leave his form as he would give them permission to start the final round. It was then that the man with the senbon would pull out a piece of paper, showing them that the tournament rounds had changed a bit.

Dosu had been removed and now Kankuro was to face the winner of Yuna and Akio's fight. Sasuke and Gaara's fight had also been switched, going from the third to the last battle.

Something had happened.

They would stand silently as the man would explain the rules to them before asking if they understood, to which all of them would agree. Then the first match was announced while all of the others were made to go to the waiting area, leaving just him and Haku on the field with the judge. They would both move to the very center of the field, facing each other as the judge would speak, reminding them of the rules one last time, though Yuuki would simply block them out as his gaze remained locked on Haku, who looked very calm and relaxed as if this was just another sparring match between the two of them.

Then they were given permission to fight and he would smile.

"I'm sorry Yuuki, but I will not be losing here. This match will help me achieve my dream if I win. Even if we are comrades and even if we do ultimately share the same goal, I will end everything here." He would watch as the boy would draw out that familiar scroll, smirking as he would immediately make his move, drawing out a kunai before charging at the ice user.

"You think I'm going to let you use that? Keep dreaming!" He would toss his kunai at the scroll, watching as the boy would deflect it with one of his senbon before body flickering away, appearing behind him and grabbing onto his wrist that held the scroll. He would smirk as Haku would immediately twist in his grasp before body flickering just as he saw the boy move to strike him, appearing off to his side. "What's wrong Haku? You're usually so much faster than I am! Have you gone soft? Or have I just gotten faster than you?"

He could see Haku's eyes narrow and immediately he regretted what he said, though he supposed it would be for the best. He didn't want Haku pulling his punches even if he said that he would not. He knew that Haku had a soft heart despite everything as was far too kind natured to actually try and hurt him, especially because he was Yuna's friend and teammate.

He needed to give him a push.

"If you're not going to give me everything you've got, then I suppose I'm going to win before this match is even over. Yuna wasted her time getting you to come with us if you can't even hold your own against me." He would smile sweetly at the boy as he would draw out his own scroll, the one that held his paintings sealed deep within them. "I'll just take you do-" He would immediately shove his scroll deep into his pack as he would dodge the senbon that were thrown in his direction, wincing as one of them managed to scrape his cheek before smirking as Haku's eyes narrowed at him.

"If you wish to face me at my strongest, then so be it. Remember that you asked for this." Haku would then disappear, vanishing from his sight and Yuuki would smirk as he would allow his chakra to switch to sensory mode, eyes narrowing before he would vanish as well, the crowd watching with wide eyes as both figures would move quickly, the clash of metal on metal filling the air before both figures would break apart, Yuuki smirking even though he had been nicked quite a few times by Haku's senbon.

"Not bad Haku...though I'm still better~" With that said he would disappear once again, though this time he would not reappear as his voice would murmur softly. "I've already got you trapped after all~" As soon as those words were spoken all of his surroundings would fade away as darkness consumed everything. "You should just stay here in the darkness, safe from the terrible world outside. Stay here where you will never be expected to fight or kill for the people who treat us like animals." His words seemed to hypnotize and entrance the black haired male, his willpower to fight slowly fading away.

Meanwhile, outside of his genjutsu, Yuuki was already at work preparing for Haku to free himself from his illusion. He would bite down on his thumb before pressing it down onto the ground. A poof of smoke would reveal two of his favorite owls as they would arrive to fight for him, watching as he would immediately withdraw his scrolls once again, wiping his bleeding finger across them and summoning his paintings. "Please take these and help me scatter them around the field quickly. My illusion is a powerful one...but he has what is needed to break free from it."

As long as he had Yuna in his life, his illusion would not be able to contain him.

As he predicted, he had barely managed to hide the last of his paintings when Haku would manage to free himself, glaring at the smirking illusionist. "So you managed to figure it out~ Good for you~" He would all but purr, before immediately dropping to the ground in an attempt to dodge as Haku would send his senbon flying at him.

"Your illusions are dangerous. It took all of my willpower and my memories of my precious people to free me from it but I will not be caught by your tricks any longer." He would grab his scroll again, this time moving so quickly across the field that Yuuki did not have the time to defend himself as the boy would aim a kick directly in the center of his stomach, knocking the air out of him and sending him flying back as he slammed into the ground roughly.

He really wasn't playing around.

Good thing he wasn't either.

Yuuki would appear right behind Haku as he managed to scatter the water kunai drawn and ready to strike the ice user, the Yuuki lying on the ground vanishing in a poof of smoke, only to be thrown over his shoulder and sent flying, somehow managing to flip and land on his feet as he would gift the boy a closed eye smile just in time for Haku to activate his ice mirrors.

"Give up Yuuki. You know that you cannot outspeed me once I have my mirrors in place." Haku would warn as he would climb into one of them, eyes narrowed as Yuuki would simply chuckle.

"I'm not going to give up. Do your worst." Haku would simply sigh as he would draw his senbon before speaking softly. "Just remember that you asked for this." He would then take that moment to strike, body moving fast as he jumped from mirror to mirror, piercing the boy's body with senbon, flinching as he heard his cries of pain before steeling his resolve.

It had to be done.

* * *

Akio's gaze would narrow the moment that he saw Yuuki and Haku both disappear behind Haku's mirrors, hand gripping the railing tightly as he heard his teammate's cries and yet, there was a part of him that knew that Yuuki had to have some sort of trick up his sleeve. 'There is no way Yuuki would allow himself to be trapped so easily.' He would tell himself in an attempt to ease his anxiety, a quick look to Yuna would reveal that she was also worried and yet, calm despite the situation.

It seemed as though both of them shared that opinion.

"Man what is Yuuki doing?! Haku's going to kill him!" Akio's gaze would turn to a worried Naruto who looked about ready to jump out of his skin with concern, something that was nearly enough to make him smile as he turned to reply to him only for Sasuke of all people to beat him to the punch. "Relax idiot. Look at Yuna and Akio, they're his teammates and they are not worried. We've fought him before and Yuuki came up with a plan there, I'm sure he has one now."

"Naruto, he will be fine. Yuuki isn't one to go down easily and I'm sure Haku knows when to stop at any rate. Even if he is angry." Yuna would smile at Naruto warmly though she would flinch as she heard Yuuki's cry again before turning her gaze back to the field as everything fell quiet for the longest of moments along with Akio, their hearts dropping when Haku would emerge from the mirrors, a grim look on his face as he would allow his mirrors to collapse, revealing an unconscious Yuuki who lay on the ground, senbon piercing every single inch of his body, blood seeping out from his wounds.

He looked as though he was already gone.

"He is alive..." Haku would announce to everyone watching, gaze turning to the proctor who moved to check over the unconscious boy. "But barely. He was moving too much and I may have accidentally pierced a vital area when he tried to dodge my senbon. He will need medical attention immediately if he is to survive." His gaze would lower as he would take in the stunned silence of the audience and Akio could feel his anxiety shoot through the roof as his gaze lingered on Yuuki's body before he would gather the courage to turn his gaze to Gaara.

He did not look good.

His eyes were fixated on Yuuki's body, body twitching slightly as he looked like he was a few seconds away from losing whatever control of himself that he actually had. He would swallow roughly before turning his gaze back to the proctor as he was ready to call the match a victory in Haku's favor before a burst of soft laughter would fill the air of the arena, silencing both men as they would look around, the proctor immediately backing away before that familiar voice would fill the air.

"Now, Now Haku. Surely you didn't believe that I would really go down that easily?"

Freaking Yuuki.

* * *

Yuuki would allow the genjutsu that hid him from view to fade away, smiling sweetly at the stunned boy as he would gently pet the owls that had helped him hide from everyone. "Owls really are a useful summon. They were not only able to help me hide from you..but they help me set up my neat little trick while you were caught in my genjutsu." Haku's eyes would widen and he would immediately turn his gaze back to the body of the Yuuki that had been laying on the ground a few feet away only to see him standing as if he had never been hurt in the first place.

"Interesting thing about paintings. Because they aren't real, living creatures, they don't feel pain and it's a pain in the ass to get rid of them. Another thing, because that's me and my chakra is connected to him, he can use my techniques almost as well as I can and he can be very convincing when taking my place as a substitution or clone." He would watch as Haku's eyes would widen as the painting began weaving seals before turning to face him as he did the same thing.

"Hiden technique-"

"Art Of Life!"

Thorny vines would erupt from where he had hidden the paintings, coming after Haku at all ways and as he saw Haku about to use the ice dome to protect himself, he would smirk watching as his clone would body flicker behind him before holding him in place as the vines would surround the both of them, holding Haku and his clone in place, smirking as flower petals began falling all around the two of them, filling the air with the scent of his special paint.

"Don't you see Haku? I'm not only an illusionist. I can also bend reality by bringing my paintings to life. If I can imagine it, I can paint it and make it a reality, even if it is only for a short while." His gaze would lift and would focus on the face of the Hokage, smirking when he could see just how surprised the old man was at the fact that he could create fully solid beings and use them to help him in battle, not just plants and wisps of beings that he assumed the old man believed were his illusions.

"Given the right circumstances. I could even bring the dead back for a short time. Would you like to see?" His question was posed more towards the Hokage than anyone else, smirking as his hands would already weave the signs to activate the last two paintings, that smirk widening as he felt arms wrap around him tightly and as he would hear the gasps fill the air, his eyes would slowly open, blinking slowly as he caught the wavy strands of pink hair that spilled over his shoulder before his painting would straighten herself, gazing at the Hokage with a dull blue gaze while the man at her side would do the same thing.

Raiza and Haruka Saito were standing in the middle of the arena.

Or so it seemed.

Only he knew the truth.

That these were just shallow imitations under his command, that Haruka and Raiza could not be brought back even with their son's painting abilities and love for them. Even so, as long as he could scare the shit out of the old man and as long as he could impress the idiots who held his future promotion within their hands, he found that he didn't care. He would let the idiots believe whatever they wanted to about him so long as he got the results he desired.

"Hey, Haku..you should surrender. My vines won't let you go and even if you do try to freeze them, more will only arrive to take their place. If you do somehow manage to break free of them, you will have to deal with me and my paintings. You can't win." Truth be told, he had no desire to continue the fight any longer. He did not want to have to hurt Haku, he wasn't about to cause pain to anyone he considered to be a comrade.

He only wanted to trap him, nothing more.

He would watch as Haku would try struggling against his vines before sighing, gifting the Saito heir a defeated smile. "It seems as though I can no longer fight with you, Yuuki. I know when I am defeated. It is your victory." He would wait for the proctor to acknowledge Haku's surrender before releasing him from his jutsu, watching as the boy would land smoothly before sighing as he would release the rest of his paintings as well, pouring his remaining bits of chakra into the scroll as the paintings would disappear before smiling at Haku as Yuuki was announced to be the victor, the illusionist rolling his eyes at the sound of cheering as he would move over to the ice user, helping him up to the waiting arena where he was immediately surrounded by his teammates and Naruto as they all crowded him.

"Yuuki, are you okay? You scared the hell out of all of us you know!"

"Excellent job Yuuki. You even had me worried there for a second and I know you well enough to know that you have a few tricks up your sleeve by now."

"Both of you did a wonderful job. It was an excellent battle. I hope they decide to promote both of you." Yuuki would smirk upon hearing Yuna's words, knowing secretly that she had probably been hoping that Haku would end up winning in the fight between the both of them, gaze softening when he would look at the pretty ice user who was trying his hardest to stay positive.

" I am fine Naruto and honestly, I think Haku should be the one who is promoted. He broke through my strongest genjutsu in record time and he fought me all on his own whereas I had summonings and my paintings to help me. I would have lost if it would have been just me against him." He would smile at the surprised look Haku gave him before that smile would widen the moment Haku returned it.

They both did their best, that's all that should matter.

They would be given a few moments to settle down before the next match would be announced.

Naruto against Neji.

God he hoped Naruto kicked his ass.


	14. Chapter 14

Yuuki would lean against the railing, watching as both Naruto and Neji would stand across from each other in the ring his eyes narrowing before his eyes would fall shut as he would listen to Naruto speak to Neji, telling him that he was not going to lose to him and as the two of them were allowed to fight his eyes would open long enough to watch as Naruto would charge at Neji head-on, having all of his attacks blocked before the Hyuga boy would send him flying after hitting a pressure point on his shoulder. Yuuki would watch as Naruto would tell him that he was only testing his power before summoning his famous shadow clones, eyes narrowing as he watched Neji take them all down without so much as batting an eye. He would mock Naruto, telling him that he would never become Hokage because only a very select few were chosen for the position. He would mention that destiny chose those who were worthy and not everyone could become Hokage because of that.

It was then that Naruto scoffed.

He would tell Neji that he did not know when to give up before summoning a whole army of shadow clones, watching as all of them would charge at Neji with a furrowed brow, watching as Neji would dodge all of the attacks that were thrown at him before turning and charging through the crowd of clones targeting a single Naruto and hitting the boy directly in the chest as he boasted about knowing which one was the true Naruto because this particular one had been avoiding getting to close to him. His hand would grip onto the rail tighter than he had before, watching as the boy spit up blood before smirking as he told Neji to not just assume things before disappearing.

It had been a clone.

He couldn't stop the smile that formed along his lips as he would throw his hand up. "YOU CAN DO IT NARUTO! NICE JOB!" His smile would widen as he heard the other cheers for Naruto, loud and clear. Gaze softening as he watched the blonde boy beneath charge while yelling something about facing him head on so he could die an honorable death and as he landed a punch, his eyes would widen as Naruto was sent flying back by something as Neji would rotate himself quickly, eyes narrowing slightly.

What was going on?

The moment that Naruto would go to attack, his eyes would narrow as he would watch Neji immediately begin spinning, sending all of the clones flying back once again. It was obvious that something was repelling all of the attacks, though he simply could not understand what was doing it at that moment.

Unless.

Was it chakra?

They would watch as Neji would tell Naruto that it was over before getting into a particular position for an attack that he didn't recognize. Yuuki caught himself leaning forward, stretching himself over the rail in an attempt to get a better look only to have the back of his shirt quickly grabbed as he almost lost his balance a moment later, the purple haired man looking down at the field with a bewildered look as he saw what his face would have hit if he had not been lucky enough to have somebody watching his back. He would take the time to shakily look back, gifting a very annoyed looking Shikamaru and Akio a very sheepish smirk as he chuckled softly. "I was just wanting a better look. I guess I got a little too excited."

"That's putting it mildly. A little further and you would have face planted into the field of the arena. I thought you were supposed to be the smart one since you use genjutsu and everything." He would listen to Shikamaru grumble at him before Akio would sigh in agreement.

"Agreed. Try not to be so reckless. Gaara has been on edge ever since he saw your clone laying on the ground right after Haku got rid of his mirrors. You falling over the railing just would have made things worse." He would simply rub the back of his neck with another sheepish smile, choosing to ignore the mention of Gaara's name, even though he felt that gaze on him once again. He would watch as Neji would smirk at Naruto before charging at him, striking his pressure points rapidly at a speed so fast that he honestly could not keep up. He would finally get to the sixty-four palms and would send Naruto flying with blood dripping from his mouth as his back hit the ground hard.

This was not looking good for Naruto.

Neji would tell Naruto that he had pressed all sixty-four chakra points in his body and that he should not even be able to stand. He would continue to mock the boy in orange, telling him that kneeling before power was something that would never change for him. He would tell him that believing in the idea that one could achieve their dreams if they worked hard was just an illusion and as Naruto would lay on the ground, trembling from the pain that Neji had inflicted on him, Yuuki found that he had no words to say.

How could he encourage Naruto to follow his dreams when he did not even have any dreams for himself?

He would watch as the boy would somehow manage to stand, smiling as he told Neji that he did not know when to give up. He would listen as Neji would tell Naruto to stop fighting because it was all going to end the same no matter how much he fought and as he told Naruto that he did not have a grudge against him and Naruto would tell him to shut up because he had a grudge against him. Neji would respond with confusion until Naruto would clarify that he did not like the fact that someone as strong as Neji went after Hinata mentally despite the fact that she tried so hard to hold her own against him.

Leave it to Naruto to hold onto a grudge for over a month.

He would listen as Neji would become agitated while telling Naruto that it had nothing to do with him and yet, Naruto would not be silenced. He would tell Neji that he had mocked her and had selfishly labeled her as a failure whenever he pleased. He would tell Neji that he did not know what happened to him but that he would never forgive a person who labeled another as a failure.

That was enough to break Neji.

He would tell Naruto that the Hyuga had a destiny of hatred, speaking of a secret ninjutsu that was passed along the family for generations, calling it the Cursed Mark Arts, something that made him, the rest of Team One and even Sasuke tense up. The cursed mark was the very thing that Orochimaru had left Sasuke with after their encounter in the Forest of Death and there was a clan in the Hidden Leaf that was using the same thing in plain sight?! His gaze would narrow darkly as he would glare in the direction of the Hokage's area.

This village was just as twisted and corrupt as every other one, deep down.

It made him sick.

He would listen as he would say that the cursed mark was supposed to represent a bird in a cage, that it was symbolic for those who could not escape their destiny. He would watch as Neji would remove his headband before showing a bright green mark that had been etched along his forehead. He would say that he had been only four years old when the mark had been placed on him with the Curse Mark Arts. He would tell him that he had been born to a man named Hizashi Hyuga who happened to be the twin brother of Hiashi Hyuga, the head of the Hyuga clan. As it turned out, Hiashi was the older brother and because of that, Hizashi was made a member of the branch family and on Hinata's third birthday he had been branded with the mark and made a member of the branch family as well.

It was then that Naruto would ask why any of that was necessary and what the purpose of the mark was.

Neji would bitterly tell him that the mark was not decoration and that the curse mark served to target the cerebral nerves in the members of the branch family so the main family could easily kill them. The mark would only disappear once a person had died and it would seal away the power of the Byakugan so nobody could get their hands on it. The curse mark was kept alive only to protect the main family and keep the branch family obedient to them.

What a horrible family.

It would only get worse as they were told that Neji's father had been killed by the main family. On one night someone had tried to kidnap Hinata only to be found and immediately killed by Hiashi. As it turned out the person responsible for the attempted kidnapping was none other than a head ninja from the Hidden Cloud who had just got done signing a peace treaty with the Hidden Leaf. The ninja had come to the Hidden Lead with the intent of getting the Byakugan from the start and the Hidden Cloud demanded the body of the head of the Hyuga family in order to avoid a war.

The Leaf accepted the deal.

Neji's father had been killed to be used as a replacement for Hiashi Hyuga since the two of them were twin brothers. It was something that made his stomach hurt as he fought against the feeling of nausea that welled up within him. He could not imagine being so entitled or arrogant that this man had expected and even allowed his own twin brother to die for him because of the fact that he had killed a person when he could just as easily restrained them and taken them in for questioning.

Hiashi Hyuga had made a mistake and his own twin brother had paid for it with his life.

He would listen as Neji would tell Naruto that everyone's destiny was decided from the moment that they were born before saying that Naruto's destiny was to lose to him. Naruto would simply state that he would never know unless he tried before telling him that his father had been killed a long time ago and while he knew nothing of the pain Neji must have felt before also saying that it was a huge mistake to allow himself to think that way because of that.

Neji would simply scoff.

He would charge at Naruto again before telling the proctor that it was over as Naruto would lay on the ground before calling him a failure and as he turned to walk away, Naruto would stand up before telling him not to run away. He would say that he stood by his words because that was his Ninja Way and it was enough to make Neji laugh as he said that he had heard that line before. Naruto would then state that he would never lose to a jerk who was so eager to run away no matter what happened.

That only pissed Neji off.

He would state that a brat who knew nothing should not lecture anyone arrogantly and that people were born with a destiny they could not defy. He would say that he would never understand being born with a mark that could never be taken away or wiped off and Naruto would laugh before saying that he did understand it. He would tell Neji not to act cool because he was not the only one who was special before telling him that Hinata was suffering the same as Neji was.

He would say that even though she was born into the head family, she was not acknowledged as such and that she tried every single day to change herself. She had fought with Neji while coughing up blood, all with that in her mind and as Yuuki would listen to Naruto's words, his gaze would soften once again as he thought of the poor, timid girl who had suffered so badly.

He felt bad for her.

Naruto told him that he wanted to change himself too, that he had done all of that to Hinata in an attempt of going against destiny, using the exam as a cover and it was enough to make Neji laugh as he questioned how someone who could not use chakra planned to fight since he had successfully shut down all of his chakra points. He would then say that Naruto and Hinata had the same destiny.

Then Naruto would do the impossible.

He managed to build up the same chakra that he had managed to call against Haku back in the Land Of Waves. He would watch as Naruto would move so quickly that he could not keep up with him, watching as he threw shuriken before dodging them as Neji caught them and threw them right back at him only to appear at his side. He would watch as they clashed before Naruto would charge at Neji, promising to change the Hyuga after he became Hokage.

Then there was an explosion.

As the smoke would clear up it would reveal two large craters in the side of the field, Neji climbing out of one a second later while coughing wildly. He would gather the energy to stand and make his way over to Naruto, calling him a failure only to have Naruto leap up from the ground as he punched him directly in the jaw, sending him flying back. He would then make his way over to Neji who told him that he had been careless, only for Naruto to lecture him. He would tell him that he had failed the graduation exam to the academy three times because the exam was always the clone jutsu which at one point had been his worst jutsu.

He would then tell him to stop complaining about destiny because unlike Naruto, Neji was not a failure.

It was then that Naruto was declared the winner of the match.

* * *

As Naruto would return to the waiting area, Yuuki would immediately make his way over to him wrapping his arm around him in a headlock as he would grin brightly down at the boy. "Look at you! You did a wonderful job down there! Everyone was cheering for you and only you! You should be proud of yourself after how well you did Naruto!" He couldn't stop himself from messing with the blonde's hair, ruffling it in an affectionate way before his gaze would soften. "I mean it Naruto. You did an outstanding job, I could even hear Ryosuke-sensei cheering loudly for you the same as he did for me. Good job Naruto. Hopefully, I can face you in the final rounds since you managed to knock out Neji before I could get my hands on him."

He would notice Naruto's face pale at the thought and he would twitch slightly as his smile took on a slightly darker edge. "Oh? What's with that look? Are you saying you don't want to fight me?"

"Yes! Your illusions are scary! The thing that you do with your paintings is even scarier! I hope Akio or Yuna end up fighting you instead! I don't want to!" That was enough to immediately turn his attention to his teammates, eyes widening as they would both start to get ready for their upcoming battle against each other, with an apologetic smile he would excuse himself and would make his way over to the two of them.

"Yuna, Akio. I really do not know what to say other than, I'm rooting for the both of you. I'm sorry that it came to this, but no matter what happens, please do your best, both of you." He would frown slightly as Yuna would give him a weak smile and Akio would simply nod at him, wincing as the both of them were called down.

"We will do our best, try not to worry too much about us."

"No matter what happens, we will at least put on a good show."

As he would leave, he would watch as Sasuke would approach the two of them, muttering something under his breath to both Yuna and Akio who both simply shared an amused gaze with each other before smiling at him and apparently thanking him as they would make their way down to the arena. He would then move to the center of the waiting area, ignoring his surroundings as he would watch the two of them move to face one another.

"YUNA! AKIO! DO YOUR BEST!" He could not stop himself from yelling, grinning wildly as he heard his sensei's voice calling out to them as well.

"NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS I'M PROUD OF YOU BOTH! YOU'VE COME SO FAR!" He couldn't stop himself from laughing as he saw both of their heads hang slightly from embarrassment, blue eyes shining in pure amusement as he could see even the proctor shaking his head in something akin to amusement before he would watch as he said something to Akio that had both him and Yuna turning red, something that made him question two things.

One he wondered if that man had been the one who trained Akio since he seemed to be acting just a bit more familiar with the Koyabashi heir than he had with anyone else so far. The second had him questioning just what it was he had said to the both of them. While Yuna was not hard to embarrass, Akio had always been a difficult person to tease because he simply did not react.

He made a mental note to ask him later.

He would watch as the proctor would give them permission to fight, eyes widening as Yuna would immediately charge at Akio, moving faster than he could ever remember her moving before, something that made his eyes widen almost comically, especially as she attacked Akio head-on, something that she had never done before. He would turn his gaze to Haku who was watching with a soft look in his eye, that brown gaze turning to meet his a few moments later before he would give a sheepish smile.

"In Kirigakure, medics are both offensive and defensive. Yuna wanted to better herself so she does not have to rely on you and Akio all of the time. I could hardly deny her request when it made so much sense." He would smile sheepishly as Yuuki would fix him with a quiet look of disbelief before the urge to tease him would prove to be too strong.

"You couldn't tell Yuna no even if she asked you for a star. You would probably try your damndest to get her one. I know it, you know it. I think we all know it, pretty boy." That was enough to make Haku turn bright red as he would avert his gaze, growing redder as Naruto would question just what it was that Yuuki was talking about, something that made the illusionist smirk. "What I'm talking about is the fact that pretty boy here is- Mmph!" He would glare at the boy who would cover his mouth while laughing nervously.

"It is nothing, Naruto. Right Yuuki?" He would give the ice user an unimpressed look and was very close to saying something rude to him before Haku's lips would lower to his ear. "Say anything other than an agreement and I will knock you out and hand deliver you to the sand shinobi's quarters myself." He would immediately tense up at the threat before smiling a little too brightly at Naruto as Haku would remove his hand.

"I know nothing. Ignore me." The look of suspicion that Naruto gifted him was quickly forgotten as his attention was drawn back to the fight, eyes widening as he saw that Akio had managed to knock Yuna back, hands weaving a series of signs before he would release a powerful fire jutsu, one that Yuna was barely able to escape from, patting at her singed clothing before she would glare back at Akio.

"Two can play that game Akio." He would watch as she would draw out the same water scroll she had given Haku, pouring her chakra into it before tossing it as water would scatter around the arena. "Hit me with your best shot. Let's see which is stronger, your fire or my water." Akio would simply smirk at the girl before charging at her, this time being on the offensive.

Whatever those Ninjas taught him, they were not playing around. Akio had improved just as surely as Yuna had, movements infinitely faster and more precise, eyes narrowing as he would draw out a kunai, aiming for Yuna's shoulder before jumping back as Yuna would kick up water, placing chakra in his feet to send him flying back as Yuna would use the thousand flying water needles of death technique, barely missing him.

"You taught her that too Haku?!"

"I taught her everything that she could learn. If she were capable of using my ice release I would have taught her all of my ice jutsu as well." He would state matter of factly as his eyes never left the fight, watching as Akio would simply smirk before weaving signs once more, inhaling deeply before exhaling a huge wave of fire that managed to completely evaporate all of the water that Yuna had summoned before charging at her, gritting his teeth as she threw a kunai at him that managed to scrape his shoulder before he was able to dodge, eyes narrowing slightly as he saw that the kunai had something dripping off of it as it flew past him before feeling a strange sensation in his shoulder before he would stumble forward, falling onto his knees as Yuna would approach him with an apologetic smile on her face.

"Sorry Akio, but my weapons have been coated in poison. My parents used to coat their weapons in poison back in Kirigakure and I decided that since I was going against you, that poison might be the best way to slow you down. You did a good job of lasting this long without getting hit by any of my weapons though."

"Ahh...I knew...I felt something strange. Yuna. Do you know why- my clan were once considered to be the best bodyguards? So much so that the First Hokage chose them to protect him once Konoha was formed?" He would look up, watching as she fixed him with a confused look as she got even closer to him, the boy ducking his head to hide his smirk. "It's because...we've developed...an immunity to poison." He would allow that to sink in before quickly jumping up and pouncing on her, taking her completely by surprise as she would be pinned to the ground by a smirking Akio who held a kunai towards the surprised kunoichi's throat.

"I win Yuna~" Yuuki's eyes would widen as he would watch the Koyabashi heir completely take Yuna by surprise as he pinned her down, his own eyes widening before he would smirk at the disappointed look on Haku's face that was quickly replaced by a dark look as he noticed that Akio, in reality, was pinning the girl completely to the ground, something the pretty boy clearly did not appreciate.

To tease, or not to tease?

Oh, who was he kidding?

"-" His mouth was immediately covered by Haku who would leer at him with a dark expression, immediately causing shivers to run down his spine as he would smile sweetly before grabbing him by the wrist and dragging him over to the sand shinobi.

Oh shit!

* * *

"Haku I'm sorry-stop! Naruto, Sasuke help! Don't let him take me!" He would hiss darkly as he tried to free himself to no avail. "Haku so help me god if you do this I will never forgive you and I swear I will never let you have a moment alone with Yuna and I'll set her up with all of the men here in Konoha, so help me you won't stand a chance-" He would trail off as he was brought in front of the sand siblings who all turned to look at him with varying degrees of surprise, though Haku would simply smile sweetly at Gaara, seemingly ignoring the other two as he would speak.

"I've brought you a present so please treat him well." He would fix the ice user with a look of complete and utter betrayal as he would walk away from them a little too cheerfully for his taste before his eyes would narrow as his mind swam with various methods of torture as he plotted the ice user's downfall, previous oath against not harming his comrades be damned.

'I should have kicked his ass.' He would think darkly to himself as his eyes narrowed on his back. 'Next time, I swear I'm going to give him nightmares for a month.' His thoughts would be interrupted by a hand settling firmly on his shoulder and his gaze would meet the teal gaze of the redheaded boy that had once been his friend.

"You've been avoiding me." It was a statement, not a question and for a moment his mind would race as he would try to come up with an answer before ultimately deciding that his best course of action would be to just be honest.

No matter what he did, he was going to be in trouble.

"Threatening to kill my friends right before you kissed me was kind of a lot to deal with Gaara. I am not exactly happy with you at the moment so I would really prefer it if you left me alone right now. I am in a very foul mood right now and I really don't feel like making it even worse at the moment. So let's quit now while we are ahead and just watch the matches until I figure things out on my end and we'll go from there, okay?" Yuuki would simply fall silent as his gaze returned to the field blocking the other boy out as he watched Yuna return to the waiting area while Akio stood there, waiting for Kankuro to make his way onto the field.

A surprised look would cross his features a moment later when Kankuro would choose to simply abstain from the fight, a decision that immediately made Akio the winner by default and as he would look at Kankuro, there was no mistaking the nervousness on the painted man's features as he would simply smile at Yuuki, a gesture that made his gaze narrow in seconds as he quietly noted just how fake and out of place the smile was on Kankuro.

Something was very wrong here.

* * *

The next match to take place would be Temari and Shikamaru's, Yuuki watching as Temari would eagerly jump down while Shikamaru was accidentally knocked over the railing by an overexcited Naruto. He would watch as the lazy boy would simply lay there for the longest of moments as he stared up at the sky before Temari would get impatient and would charge him only for Shikamaru to dodge, standing on top of two kunai that he had managed to stab into the wall, smirking down at her before disappearing as she would go to attack him with her wind jutsu.

They would watch as Shikamaru would try to capture the girl with his shadow possession jutsu only to continuously get avoided at every single attempt and for the longest of moments it seemed like for a while it might be Temari's win, Yuuki watching as she would continue to attack and dodge before Shikamaru would make a makeshift parachute out of his shirt and a kunai, something that helped extend the reach of his jutsu.

Even so, the girl still managed to avoid his attack, until he managed to capture her by using the shadows from underneath the tunnel that Naruto had dug earlier during his fight with Neji. He would make the girl walk towards him as he would approach her, staring at her intensely before raising his hand as Temari would flinch as she waited for him to attack her only for Shikamaru to give up. He would say that he was out of chakra from using the shadow possession technique multiple times in rapid succession and that he could not hold the jutsu for ten more seconds before also saying that doing one match was fine for him.

Temari was declared the winner and he would watch in a horrified sort of amusement as Naruto would actually jump down to scold the boy, that smirk widening as he realized he could actually hear Naruto's words from where he was. It was then that Shikamaru would mention something that caused the blonde to fall absolutely silent, eyes widening as he saw Naruto give a thoughtful look in their direction.

Or rather, Gaara's direction.

The noises that were coming from the crowd were more than enough to sway his attention as they grew excited about the next match, a smirk crossing his lips once again as he heard people calling for Sasuke and as the Uchiha male would move to teleport down to the arena he would call out to him. "Good luck Sasuke! Gaara's not going to be easy but do your best and this goes without saying but be careful!" He would feel the hand that had remained on his body the entire time tighten slightly, choosing to ignore it as Sasuke would smirk at him before nodding and disappearing only to appear on the field a moment later.

"Yuuki." Those midnight blues would turn to face Gaara with a cold expression, that expression only hardening as he saw the expectant look in Gaara's eyes. "I'm not going anywhere until I get what I want from you Yuuki. I care nothing for this village or the safety of the people here. Any injuries will be on your hands if they decide to do anything foolish." Those words were enough to make the illusionist twitch slightly in irritation as he glared at the redhead out of the corner of his eye.

"If you think you're getting anything from me after everything you've put me through these last few days you've got another thing coming to you Gaara. Go down there and start your battle already, I'm not giving in this time." His gaze would never falter as he would turn to face the redhead directly, blues narrowed slightly as those pale lips would form another one of his smirks as he could practically feel the irritation seeping from the younger boy. "I'll make you a deal. You manage to beat him and Akio, I'll do whatever you want with no complaints from me, I'll be your perfect little puppet. Until then, you're not getting a thing from me."

There was no way in hell he'd be able to beat both of them.

"Fine. You will keep this promise Yuuki. I will hunt you down if you try to escape, there is no place in the world you can hide where I will not find you." That promise along with the dark smile that Gaara gave him was enough to make his blood run cold, the illusionist nearly trembling as the boy would finally leave to make his way down to the arena and as he was out of earshot, his gaze would turn to Sasuke, holding onto the railing with a trembling hand.

"SASUKE! YOU HAD BETTER NOT LOSE! YOU HOLD MY FUTURE IN YOUR HANDS!" Sasuke would look at him confused for a moment, though it was apparent that he saw something in his eyes for his expression turned serious a moment later as he would nod at him, something that made a slight feeling of relief well up within him as Yuna and Akio would quickly approach his side along with an apologetic looking Haku.

"What was that about holding your future in his hands?" Akio's tone was stern and left him no room to try and kid around with him, the purple haired boy swallowing roughly as he would gift a cautious glance to Temari and Kankuro before tugging the boy away from the two of them. "I made an agreement with Gaara that if he beat both you and Sasuke, that I would do whatever he asked of me without complaint. Sasuke needs to beat him. If he doesn't then please for the love of all things good in this world take him down for me."

He would never ask for another thing from him ever again.

"Yuuki. I don't think he will be able to defeat Sasuke. If he does, I promise that I will do my best to stop him. You have my word. Until then, stay here. I'm going to go and find Ryosuke-sensei, he will know what to do." He would gift Akio a shaky smile upon hearing his promise before watching as the leader of their team would disappear, taking a deep breath before moving to watch the match, Haku moving to stand next to him with an apologetic gaze in his eyes.

"Yuuki, I had no idea about what had happened between the two of you. I apologize deeply from the-"

"I will deal with you later." He would gift the ice user a cold, calculating look before turning his gaze back to the match. "For now we will watch this and pray that Sasuke wins. Otherwise, I'm sending you as the sacrifice when he comes for me." He would nearly shudder as he saw the smile that Gaara gave to Sasuke, eyes narrowing as he saw him immediately grab his head as if he was in pain.

That wasn't good.

When the proctor would give Sasuke and Gaara permission to begin their fight he would watch as Sasuke would grab two of his shuriken before throwing them. Gaara's sand would immediately intercept the attack, a sand clone of Gaara forming from the shield of sand before it would attack Sasuke who would quickly jump up, deflecting the weapons that were thrown back at him before throwing a kick at the clone, flipping down to punch through the clone's neck only to have the clone reform over his hand. It was then that Sasuke would manage to shatter the clone entirely by punching it with his free hand, scattering the sand as he would take that chance to charge at him again only for Gaara's sand to protect him.

Then Sasuke would vanish only to appear behind him.

He would watch with wide eyes as Sasuke would manage to land a punch, sending the sand shinobi flying before his sand would manage to cushion his fall. Sasuke would simply smirk at Gaara, beckoning him to come to him and as Gaara remained on the ground, Sasuke would choose to go to him, charging at him with such an incredible speed that it would strain his eyes to keep up, watching him as he managed to get under Gaara's shield, kicking him away from him.

Then he would continue to attack Gaara, kicking and punching him repeatedly before leaping a safe distance away.

It was then that Gaara would form a complete ball of sand, glaring at Sasuke before disappearing and as Sasuke would move to punch it, he would only manage to hurt himself, blood falling from his hand, face, and leg as spikes would out of the sand in response.

This was not looking good.

* * *

"Kakashi-sensei! Ryosuke-sensei!" Ryosuke's golden gaze would move to look behind him as he heard his name being called, softening as he saw a panicked Naruto and Shikamaru standing there, bodies heaving as they panted harshly. His gaze would turn to Kakashi as he would ask the two of them what they wanted, scoffing slightly at the tone that was given before smacking the silver-haired man lightly on his shoulder. "Be nice Kakashi! It must be something important, just look at the two of them!"

It was then that Naruto would ask Kakashi to stop the match.

Naruto would tell the two of them that Gaara was not like them and that Gaara was not normal, something that made his eyes narrow slightly as he recalled the information that he had been given about what had happened between Gaara and his own student. The girl that was sitting by Sakura would ask what he was talking about before Naruto would mention that he lived to kill people and for a moment all would fall silent before another voice would cut in.

"I did not want to believe that but you're right Naruto." All eyes would turn to a pale Akio who looked as though he might be sick for a moment before hardening his resolve as his gaze would find both of the jonin. "There are two dead bodies over by the hallway directly downstairs by the waiting area. Gaara was the last person to leave that area so it had to be him." He would swallow roughly once again before his gaze would lift and he would speak once again.

"Ryosuke-sensei. I believe that Sasuke and Yuuki are both in danger. In the waiting area, while Yuna and I were fighting Haku gave Yuuki over to Gaara at some point. When we got up there, Gaara had his hand on him and would not let him go or let us anywhere near the two of them. There was nothing we could do but watch. At some point, Yuuki made an agreement with Gaara that if he beats Sasuke and I that he will do whatever Gaara asks of him without complaint. I didn't think much of it until I saw the bodies." He would pause once again, letting the information sink in before speaking again. "They're both in danger. We need to stop the match and get Yuuki as far away from him as possible."

They would watch as Kakashi would look at the match, deep in thought before looking at Ryosuke who looked strangely calm though as Kakashi would state that there was nothing to worry about, that they had been so focused on their special training for a reason, his gaze would darken slightly. "Kakashi. This is the safety of my student that we are talking about. If he is in danger and if this boy did kill those people, I cannot just stay here and leave Yuuki to fend for himself."

It was then that Kakashi would turn to his friend once again. "Ryosuke. I swear to you on my life that Yuuki is not in any danger. No matter what happens to us, he will be safe. You have my word. I have never once broken an oath to you. All I ask is that you believe in me, one more time." The dark-haired jonin would look up at his longtime friend, contemplating his words before sighing harshly, eyes narrowing at his friend before he would mutter darkly.

"There is a first time for everything and you had better hope for your own safety that this is not the first promise you break to me, Kakashi. If it is, I swear on my soul that it will be the last promise you ever make." He would notice the nervous look that Kakashi would gift to him before turning his gaze back to Akio. "Hurry back and no matter what, stay by their side. There is strength in numbers and I believe that the three of you, as well as Haku, will be able to hold your own no matter what happens."

They would hear Naruto complain before Kakashi would tell him to be quiet and watch the match to see a surprise and as Akio would leave, Ryosuke's gaze would linger on the place where his student had been only a few seconds before, his brow furrowing as he immediately had to restrain the urge to follow after him. While he did trust in Kakashi, there was that part of him that simply did not want to leave things to chance when it came to the safety of his precious students.

Perhaps he was babying them just as Kakashi had said.

After all, he would not always be able to protect them from the obstacles that life sent their way. He would not always be able to protect them, no matter how much he may have wished to. He was shaken from his thoughts as he felt a hand gently take his into their own, squeezing it lightly and as he would turn to look, he would see that single black eye staring at him.

It was going to be okay, he seemed to say.

He didn't know why he had such a bad feeling then.

* * *

Yuuki would watch as Sasuke would try and attack the sphere of sand only to fail at almost every single attempt, the Uchiha heir smirking before saying that he had a special technique that would take some time to use as well. He would shoot himself up at the very top of the wall on the arena before gathering up lightning chakra into his hand. Then he would smirk before shooting himself down the wall as that lightning chakra would only grow more and more powerful, a chirping like sound erupting from the chakra as he grew closer and closer to the sphere.

Then the defense would activate.

He would watch with growing anxiety as Sasuke would dodge the spikes before sending his attack into the sphere, managing to cut through the sand and into Gaara's defense, something that was capable of making the illusionist's heart immediately stop as concern welled up for Gaara, despite the anger that he felt towards him for everything that he had done to everyone since he had arrived in Konoha.

Emotions were bothersome, fickle things.

Even though he tried so hard to convince himself that the boy that had been his childhood friend no longer existed. Even though he tried to act cold and close himself off to him. Even though there were times when the boy scared the shit out of him, he could not stop himself. Even if he was a cold, bloodthirsty bastard, he wore the face of his beloved friend.

Gaara, His Gaara.

How could he hate Gaara?

He couldn't.

The answer came far too quickly, far too easy for him and it disturbed him that there was probably not a single thing Gaara could do that would make him completely hate him, simply because he was Gaara. That realization in itself was enough to scare the shit out of him more than Gaara ever could because while he was quick to condemn others for their actions or stupidity, always priding himself on his control over his emotions while wearing his control like a finely crafted mask, in the end, if he was willing to pardon Gaara of his sins simply because of who he was and what he meant to him, what did that make him?

The biggest hypocrite of them all.

How could he condemn anyone?

How could he pardon everything that Gaara had done?

He didn't.

He couldn't.

Could he?

He was shaken from the thoughts that plagued his mind as he heard the screaming that came from Gaara, face losing it's color as those blue eyes would widen in fear as his blood would turn completely cold. His gaze would fall to the sand siblings as they looked completely horrified at what had happened, the purple-haired boy swallowing roughly before blinking as he felt a hand on his shoulder, turning to face a grim looking Akio.

"No matter what happens, stay with Yuna, Haku, and I. Those were Ryosuke's instructions." He would nod in silence before turning his gaze back to the match as he heard Gaara scream again, that gaze widening as Sasuke would manage to yank his arm out of the sand only to reveal a large, deformed looking limb that was latched onto him, the Uchiha heir managing to finally break free a moment later as the limb would retreat back into the dome of sand.

Was that Shukaku?

They would watch as the dome of sand would collapse while Gaara would clutch at his bleeding shoulder, panting heavily while glaring darkly at Sasuke. It was then that the air began to change and white feathers would immediately fall around them, Yuuki's eyes narrowing darkly as he would immediately catch on to what was happening the second he saw the first feather, hands moving quickly to form a sign before he would hiss darkly.

"Release!" He would watch as the illusion scattered, immediately turning to Akio and pouring his chakra into him, smirking as the boy would snap out of his daze before turning to Haku as he would do the same to Yuna. "What the hell is going on?!" The sound of an explosion would immediately distract them as their gazes would turn to the Hokage's viewing area only to see that area completely covered in smoke before watching as the Kazakage would leap out of it while holding the Hokage hostage, four sound ninja leaping on top of the roof and summoning a barrier to stop anybody from interfering.

Shit. It was an attack.

His gaze would lock on the three siblings that stood on the ground, watching as Temari and Kankuro would try talking to Gaara, eyes narrowing as he saw Sasuke by himself. "You three. Sasuke's cornered down there. It's three against one, we need to help him." He would immediately body flicker down into the arena, ignoring the protests from his teammates who wanted to keep him as far away from Gaara as possible before they would follow after him, all four of them standing by Sasuke's side as he would fix a cold glare onto the three sand siblings.

"So you three were a part of this all along?" He would murmur darkly, his heart breaking completely as he watched both Kankuro and Temari both refuse to meet his eye while Gaara clutched his head while screaming in pain. It was then that the proctor for the third exam would appear in front of them as would Gaara's sensei and as he heard the man talk about Gaara as though he was a weapon, he would scoff quietly before chuckling softly.

"To speak of him as if he was some weapon even though he is standing right there. Temari and Kankuro, allowing this to happen to him in my absence. I thought it was just Gaara that was gone but it seems as though you two died the same as he did." He would watch as they flinched slightly before hardening their expressions, gathering up Gaara as they were told to take him and treat his wounds before the plan would recommence and as their sensei said that he was going to destroy them, Genma would tell them to give chase to the three siblings, reassuring them that he would handle the sensei and telling them that they were at the Chunin level already and that they needed to be of service to the village.

Always the damn village.

All of them would immediately give chase to the Sand Siblings as soon as they were clear, Yuuki's eyes narrowing darkly.

He would not let them escape after everything they had done.

All the lies.

The fake friendly moments.

The moment between him and Gaara in the Forest of Death.

Now it was personal.


	15. Chapter 15

"Sasuke, Yuuki, You need to slow down! I know you want to catch them as soon as possible but rushing into a situation like this is how people get hurt and die! We need to stay together!" Midnight blues would narrow as his attention was focused on the retreating figures of the sand shinobi. Frustration would well up in his chest along with the anger, giving birth to a whole different type of rage that he did not once think could be possible for any single person to feel and yet, here he was feeling it. All he could think about was how the sand siblings had reappeared in his life only to betray him in the end.

It was enough to nearly drive him crazy.

Sasuke would manage to catch the Saito heir's gaze and it was with a simple look that he would gift him an immediate nod before the two of them would move even faster, something that tore a swear from Akio's lips as he, Yuna and Haku did their best to try and catch up with the two only to ultimately fall behind as the plantation in the forest grew thicker and their surroundings grew darker.

They were planning something, that much was clear.

* * *

Temari would press her head to the branch of the tree as Kankuro would gaze about their surroundings with a nervous look. "What's up Temari?" The girl's brow would narrow as she would manage to sense the incoming Shinobi.

"It's no good. There's five of them approaching. Sasuke and Yuuki are close and the three are just behind them, they're all right around the corner." Kankuro would panic before asking what they should do before Temari would smirk, holding up some wire as well as some weapons. "Leave it to me. I'll take care of them." The two siblings would nearly flinch as Gaara would stir, guilt welling up in their chests as they heard the one word that left his lips through his pain.

"Yuuki."

Even now, in the middle of their plan, their brother thought only of the purple haired boy that had somehow managed to secure a place in the bloodthirsty boy's heart for himself and for a moment the two siblings would look at each other, unsure of what it was they should do as their thoughts fell to the boy that had once been like a sibling to them, wincing as they recalled how the boy had looked at them just moments before.

"Temari. If something happens to him Gaara will lose it." Kankuro would speak softly before chancing a glance at the girl who seemed deep in thought. "You saw how he reacted to a simple illusion. How do you think he will react to the real thing if it comes to that? We cannot, under any circumstances hurt him unless we want Gaara to kill all of us."

"I know that Kankuro. We're going to have to tread very carefully. Avoid fighting him at any costs and if we find ourselves with a chance to capture him we will take it. Gaara will be happy to have him with us and he will make a useful hostage if worst comes to worst." She would smirk before setting up the traps, rigging them to explode when the wire was tripped. "Besides." She would muse softly as she stepped back to admire her handiwork.

"Gaara was right. Yuuki belongs to Sunagakure, this village doesn't suit him at all." It was then that they began to move again, quicker this time in an attempt to get far away from the traps before they would explode.

Hopefully, Yuuki would be smart enough to avoid them.

* * *

Yuuki's eyes would narrow slightly as he would catch the shine of wire through the faint light that managed to leak through the trees, eyes widening as he saw a paper bomb of all things and immediately he would call out to Sasuke who had taken the lead. "Hey! Watch ou-" He didn't get to finish his statement as Sasuke would manage to set off the trap, Yuuki's body immediately going into motion as he would jump high above the range of the explosion, hanging upside down from a tree branch as he would watch Sasuke set off a few more before landing on a branch a few feet away from him.

"Are you okay?" The quick nod from Sasuke was enough to ease the worst of his worries before his gaze would become hard again. "Then let's go. We've almost caught up to them. I can feel their chakra signatures, they aren't too much farther." Sure enough, it would only take them a few minutes before they managed to catch the siblings, both of them throwing their kunai at them before landing on a tree branch in front of them, Sasuke smirking while Yuuki would simply smile at them, blue eyes dancing with a dark sort of mirth.

"We caught up to you." Sasuke's voice was deathly calm as he would look at the three of them before speaking to them once more, telling them that this was as far as they would go. Yuuki would lean back against the tree as if he did not have a single worry in the world, though his smile never left his lips, eyes never leaving their forms as he watched their every move.

"If you three were smart you would have killed me. I will spend the rest of my life tracking you if that is what it will take to see you guys get what you deserve for betraying me." His eyes would dance with anticipation before he would finally straighten up, his smile growing even sweeter when his gaze would fall upon Gaara before he would falter for a moment. "Especially you Gaara. You of all people, I never would have expected to betray me. You managed to lie to a born liar, I'm very impressed."

It was then that Temari would attack, telling Kankuro to take Gaara and run before attacking the two of them, Yuuki's eyes narrowing as he would watch them start to retreat. "Yuuki. Don't let them escape." He would nod before moving to chase them, barely dodging Temari's attack and managing to jump just in time to avoid the kunai thrown in his direction, though the part of him deep down that still cared about those three couldn't help but tell him that she hadn't really been trying to hurt him.

If she had really tried, she would have hit him.

He would manage to track them down a few moments later, managing to block Kankuro's escape route as he would smirk at him. "I've told you once and now it seems as though I will be forced to repeat myself. I will not let you escape. Your plan ends here." He would smirk as he felt the presence of Sasuke's chakra, smirking as the boy would reappear right by his side, smile faltering as Temari would reappear only for Kankuro to tell her to run away with Gaara as he told her that he would fight Sasuke this time, only to jump as a blast of fire would come at him from the opposite side, revealing a pissed off Akio, Yuna and Haku.

It seemed as though they had finally caught up.

* * *

Temari would take that moment to disappear with Gaara before Haku would stand in front of the puppet master, smiling warmly at the four of his companions that remained. "You four go on ahead. I will handle things here with this one. It is for the best if I am the one to fight him. Now quickly, find them and put a stop to their plans." The four of them would look at each other quietly before glancing back at Haku.

"Yuna." Yuuki would muse quietly, watching as the kunoichi would hesitate for a moment before nodding and joining Haku's side, something that surprised the ice user before he would smile weakly at her as the other three would disappear.

The way that Yuuki saw it, it was the best decision to keep their medic as far away from the actual danger as long as possible so she could preserve her chakra in case they needed healing. Gaara was definitely the bigger threat and as they would land in front of him, he would watch as Gaara would knock Temari into a tree, Midnight blues narrowing as they met those teal eyes, stopping and standing with Sasuke as they both stood in front of him, Akio standing off to the side as he watched the redhead with an icy gaze, ready to get involved at the first sign of danger.

"I don't know what you sand ninjas are planning, but we will stop you." Sasuke would speak, eyes narrowing as he would pause for a moment before he would continue to speak. "And we will find out what you really are." Those words were enough to cause Gaara to fall into pain, clutching at his head as he cried out while staring at Sasuke before he would speak.

"You who are strong. You who are called Uchiha. You who have friends and a purpose. You who are like me, I will kill you and exist in this world as the one who put an end to all of that. I can truly experience life. After all, you are my-" He would trail off as he would begin screaming in agony before all would fall to silence as he would reveal that Shukaku had begun to escape from deep inside of him, his features being morphed with those of the monster deep inside and yet, Yuuki could not look away. Unlike those around him, he was not scared or disgusted by what Gaara had become.

He felt pity.

Despite his anger at being toyed with by the three, he could not stop himself from pitying the boy that had once been his best friend even as they stood on two opposing sides of a conflict and as Gaara would charge at Sasuke his body would move, yanking the boy out of the way and throwing the both of them behind a tree as Akio would quickly mimic their movements. Yuuki would watch with a narrowed gaze as he would look around before they would quickly dodge another attack as he punched through the tree they had been hiding behind.

Then Gaara would ask if they were scared of him and his existence, something that caused Sasuke to scoff as he would charge at him, using the substitution technique as he would get hit by Gaara, only to throw kunai at him. Yuuki would watch as Gaara would allow Shukaku's arm to get pierced by the weapons before absorbing them and sending them flying back at Sasuke who happened to be using a clone jutsu. The three of them would remain hidden behind a tree beneath Gaara, watching as he would take down a bunch of other trees while calling out for Sasuke.

This was not good.

They would listen as Gaara would try to taunt Sasuke into coming out and revealing their hiding place, Akio's hand resting firmly on Sasuke's arm as he would immediately shake his head, icy eyes narrowing as his mind raced to try and come up with a plan that would get them out of here alive while also managing to put an end to Gaara's rampage before he could unleash it on their village. Despite his attempts to keep Sasuke still, the boy would simply shove his hand away before activating the Chidori, lightning filling the area and lighting it up as Gaara would spot them. It would be then that they would charge at each other, Sasuke managing to hit Gaara once again as both him and Akio would jump out of the way of the falling redhead, standing above him and watching as the boy would laugh darkly.

He said he wanted to kill Sasuke, who had managed to wound him not once but twice before his sand would spill out of his gourd and a tail would form as he would charge at Sasuke once again, shooting forward as Sasuke would jump only to get injured by shards of wood. It was then that he and Akio would jump into action, Akio weaving signs before exhaling and releasing a powerful fire jutsu at Gaara, who simply laughed darkly as Shukaku's skin would protect him.

"You. You've been nothing but a pest. Keeping Yuuki away from me even though he has been mine from the very beginning. Once I deal with Sasuke Uchiha, I will feed my sand your blood. Along with that stupid girl's." He would snicker darkly before launching himself at Sasuke who would also try using a fire type jutsu before moving to brace himself as Gaara would manage to land a hit, sending him flying back into a tree. They would watch as Gaara would taunt Sasuke before Sasuke would snap, activating his Chidori and charging at Gaara, managing to hit him once again before it became revealed that Sasuke had managed to activate Orochimaru's mark, though the strain of the mark would prove to be too much as he would collapse a moment later much to Gaara's delight.

He was going to kill him.

Akio's body would move before he had realized it, quickly gathering up Sasuke in his arms, icy eyes glaring darkly at the approaching figure before two figures would appear on opposite sides of him, Yuuki and Naruto both landing a kick on Gaara's face that sent him flying back, Naruto managing to land on a shrub while Yuuki would flip back to land on the same branch that Akio and Sasuke were on, smiling down at Sakura and the dog as they would arrive as well.

"Thank goodness. Oh and nice kick Naruto! I'm not a taijutsu expert by any means. I was hoping that I could throw him off balance a bit but to send him that far back, that was you."

He would smile warmly at Naruto before turning his cold gaze on Gaara who seemed more pissed than anything else that he was taking their side. "You asked for this to happen the moment you decided to betray me Gaara. I hold these people dear to my heart and I will do whatever I can to keep them safe. If it means fighting you then so be it. I will harden my heart and fight you until you kill me and my blood coats your sand." He knew that he would never be able to beat Gaara in combat so he would fight until the boy killed him.

If he died protecting others, then at least his death would be worthwhile.

* * *

Yuuki would watch as Naruto would glare darkly at Gaara before listening to Sasuke's agonized cries, eyes closing as he would briefly switch his chakra to sensory mode, searching for the two chakra signals that could help Sasuke only for a sigh of relief to leave him a moment later as they would choose that moment to arrive, Yuna immediately going to Sasuke's aide while Haku would arrive with a restrained Kankuro, eyes narrowing when he would take in the sight of Gaara.

Then Gaara would speak, telling Naruto that he was the one that he had failed to kill and as Naruto would state that all of them should run away, Yuuki's gaze would harden. "Naruto, no, everyone. If that is what you guys feel you need to do in order to survive then go. I will try my best to hold him back for as long as I can." He would swallow roughly as he would step forward with a steely gaze, eyes narrowing as his gaze met Gaara's. "I cannot and will not run from this anymore." It was then that Gaara would move past Naruto and would charge at the five of them and his body would quickly move to protect Sasuke and Akio, glaring darkly at Gaara as he drew a kunai, ready to fight only to be slammed harshly into a tree as Gaara would pin him there with Shukaku's arm, panting heavily all the while before he would glare darkly at the purple-haired illusionist.

"You would choose them over me?! You would die for them rather than just stay by my side and get out of the way?" Yuuki's body would ache, body trembling from the pain before he would cough up blood onto Gaara's arm, gathering what was left of his strength to lift his head, blue gaze meeting Gaara's before he would gift the redhaired boy a small smirk.

"Every single time." He would allow that information to sink into his mind, staring defiantly into that one teal eye that remained before he would speak. "I would have done the very same thing for you, Gaara. Though, I know now that my Gaara is gone and it seems like he's been gone for a very long time. You're nothing but a stranger that wears his face. I would rather...die protecting my friends than live a life as a coward who abandoned them to you. I failed Gaara but I will not fail them." He would watch as his words would only serve to aggravate him even further, eyes narrowing before speaking. "Perhaps...in another time and in another life. Things might have been different Gaara. Maybe..you could have understood me and my pain. Maybe I could have understood yours as well."

It seemed like they would never know.

His gaze would fall onto Naruto as Gaara was distracted. "Naruto run! Take everyone and go! Get as far away as you can from here. Don't turn back no matter what-" He would be silenced as that limb would tighten around him, gasping for air before turning his gaze back to Gaara with gritted teeth as he would chuckle softly.

"Weren't you going to run?" Naruto's gaze would turn back to Yuuki who would urge him to save himself. "What is Yuuki to you, I wonder? What are you to him that he is so willing to sacrifice his precious life to me in exchange for all of yours?" He would watch as Naruto would rise to his feet, gathering his courage before declaring that they were friends, losing his fear as those blue eyes would glare at Gaara darkly.

He would dare Gaara to lay another finger on Yuuki or anyone else, telling him that he would beat him to a pulp if he were to try, something that made Gaara angry as he would constrict Yuuki, causing him to gasp out in pain, something that made Naruto glare even darker at Gaara as he taunted Naruto, telling him to come and get him, something that made Naruto even angrier as he would explode.

"You hurt someone you claimed to love because he wanted to protect his friends?! He even said he would do the same thing for you after everything you've done to him! You betrayed him and he-" Naruto would trail off as those blue eyes would widen in realization, immediately turning his gaze to Yuuki who would not look him in the eye, head bowed in shame as he immediately knew that Naruto had figured him out. "Yuuki..you-"

"Naruto. Don't."

"No. You- you love him don't you? Even after everything? It all makes sense. Why you never fought against him and let him do what he wanted to you. Why you, even now, said that you would give your life for him after everything he has done. Even though he's hurting you, even though he-"

"Please Naruto." Naruto's eyes would widen as he heard the broken tone in Yuuki's voice. "No more. I...can't." Naruto's eyes would narrow as he heard the despair and the pain in his friend's voice before turning his gaze to Gaara who once again taunted him, eyes narrowing as he would curse before charging at Gaara only to get knocked back by Shukaku's tail.

Naruto would then get back up as he promised to save everyone, only to make Gaara laugh as he asked him if he would fight for the sake of others before mocking him. He would tell him that that was the reason why they were only at their level before also saying that one did not need a reason to fight. He would say that only someone who was undefeated could feel the meaning of their existence before also telling Naruto to forget about insignificant friends and to fight only for the sake of his own existence.

It was then that Naruto would get pissed off, yelling at Gaara for calling Yuuki insignificant before attempting to summon something, only for a tiny frog to pop out, something that made Yuuki's hopes plummet as he watched Gaara's transformation almost completely take over him, leaving only his normal legs remaining and as the hand that held Yuuki separated from the rest of his body, he would listen to the words that were spoken to Naruto, eyes narrowing as he was told that the sand holding him wouldn't release him until Naruto had defeated him.

It seemed as though he was stuck here.

He would listen as Gaara would taunt Naruto telling him that he was weak before saying that he should fight only for himself. He would tell him to fight him before asking what had happened to the boldness he had earlier. He would even go as far as to say that he would take Yuuki away and that he would lock him in a dark cellar, where no one but him would ever see him again if he did not fight him and the threat to Yuuki's freedom seemed to be enough to motivate Naruto as he would jump to attack, using the multi shadow clone jutsu only to be blown back by Gaara's attack.

Then Gaara said that he would toy with Naruto without killing him, saying that he wanted to see the look on his face when he chose to abandon all of his hope along with his friends before he would hit Naruto with the sand shuriken, Yuuki watching in horror as he was sent flying back into a tree. He would watch as he continued to attack him, eyes narrowing before watching as he would stand up once again.

The look in his eyes was unlike anything he had ever seen before.

He would watch as Naruto would attack Gaara while using the shadow clone jutsu multiple times only to stab Gaara in the ass with a kunai, something that probably would have been hilarious if he had not been held hostage at the moment, though he couldn't stop himself from smirking slightly, that smirk immediately falling from his face as Gaara would knock Naruto back only for Sasuke and Akio to break his fall, eyes widening as he saw the look on Akio's face as he stared at Gaara.

Something wasn't right.

* * *

"Naruto. Sasuke." The two boys would move to look up at him, watching as the Koyabashi heir would simply stare at Gaara, those icy eyes narrowing for a long moment before he would tear away his gaze to smile down at the two younger boys. "I want you two to listen closely to me. I'm going to use myself as bait and free Yuuki. You two need to grab him and take everyone else and run." His eyes would narrow at the smirking face of Gaara as he would rummage through his pack, pulling out a single scroll as he would ignore the protests, until Sasuke would manage to grab ahold of him, black eyes glaring deeply into Akio's.

"Why the hell would you throw away your life?! There are other ways-"

"Because Sasuke, unlike all of you I am the only one here who has no dream nor a purpose. While I do not agree with your dream nor do I support your motives, I know that you were about to suggest the same thing using yourself as bait." That was enough to shut Sasuke up as he would smirk slightly at him. "Sasuke, Naruto. I have spent my entire life paying for the sins of my uncle. I am the last member of my clan who is alive and loyal to the leaf. If I die, let it be here and let it be to erase the stain my uncle has left on my clan's name. Besides, I don't want to see any of you die here or now. If it's for you and my teammates, who are the closest thing I have left to family, then it's fine."

At least he would die for something meaningful.

"You are all precious to me and because of that, I will not allow any of you to die." He would admit softly before biting down on his thumb, running it across the scroll, smirking darkly as a single sword was revealed once the air was cleared from the poof of smoke. His eyes would narrow as he would remove the sword from its sheath, revealing a pristine, milky white blade that had a non-reflective surface.

The sword that Akira had left behind for him.

Dōjigiri Yasutsuna.

He would watch out of the corner of his eye as both Naruto and Sasuke would stand, listening to Naruto as he spoke about Gaara being just like him. He would say that he thought Gaara was strong before saying that if someone fought only for themselves in solitude that they would never become strong, that someone could only become strong when protecting someone precious to them and immediately his gaze would turn to Haku who stood by Yuna, eyes narrowing as he placed himself in front of the healer and Sakura, just in case Gaara decided to target them.

Those were his words, he was sure of it.

It was then that Naruto would build up chakra, something that surprised both Akio and Sasuke as they watched the blonde's gaze move towards Yuuki, determination shining in those blue eyes before he would summon a whole army of clones all at once. He would watch Naruto's back as he would tell both him and Sasuke to simply rest despite the fact that Sasuke had been the one to fight Gaara earlier. He told him to leave the rest to Naruto before pausing for a moment to speak to Akio.

"What your uncle did, was his mistake, not yours. Don't be so eager to die just to make up for a dumb mistake. Live and bring honor to your clan that way! You're precious to us too, you know! We'd be sad if something happened to you so the next time you or Yuuki try to sacrifice yourselves, I'm going to beat the heck out of both of you!" Akio would watch as all of the clones would launch themselves at Gaara all at once before throwing a bunch of shuriken at him and when he would use his arm to defend himself, they would all immediately kick him up into the air before punching him all at once before sending him crashing down onto the ground.

Naruto had really grown since their first mission.

It was truly one of the most impressive things he had ever seen.

No wonder Yuuki believed in him so much.

* * *

Yuuki's eyes would widen the moment that Gaara would hit the ground, panic welling in his chest as Naruto's clones would move to attack him all at once only for Gaara to complete his transformation at that very moment. He would watch as Shukaku now roamed freely, Naruto getting surrounded by sand and as he saw Shukaku's claw moving into that familiar position his eyes would widen as his anxiety and panic would double, the Saito heir trying his best to struggle against the sand only to cry out as it would constrict him further in warning.

Damn Gaara.

His eyes would widen as Naruto would manage to summon a giant toad to free him from Shukaku's sand, glaring at him as his arms crossed over his chest. Then he would watch as the toad would refuse to help him until the smaller one would tell him that Gaara had tried bullying him earlier and that Naruto had saved him, something that made the giant toad finally agree to cooperate.

He would have to remember that one in case he ever had to summon the owl queen.

* * *

Yuuki would watch as the toad would attack Gaara, managing to take down a lot of trees in the forest as he chopped off one of Shukaku's arms before leaping away and as Naruto asked the toad to stay away from where he was at, asking him to lead the battle in the opposite direction, his gaze would soften slightly.

Then Gaara had to ruin the moment as usual.

He would watch as Gaara would appear from the top of Shukaku's head, Gaara saying that he would reveal Shukaku's true power before the toad would speak, saying that Gaara did not sleep because of Shukaku and that was why Gaara's personality was so unstable and as Gaara would fall asleep, Shukaku would appear and would start attacking Naruto and the toad with a wind style jutsu, only to have them counter it with a water one, Yuuki wincing as he immediately became soaked due to the sheer amount of water.

The fight would continue on as the toad tried his hardest to pin down Shukaku so Naruto could punch Gaara and wake him up only to fail because he could not hold onto him properly. They would jump away and the toad would tell Naruto to use the transformation jutsu to give him claws to grip onto Shukaku with and once Naruto would activate the transformation jutsu his eyes would widen once again as he saw what Naruto had chosen to transform the toad into.

The nine-tailed fox.

The fox and the raccoon would circle around each other before Shukaku would finally manage to be pinned down, Naruto undoing the transformation and jumping from the head of the toad, leaping forward to punch Gaara in the cheek and as Gaara would wake up, he would glare darkly at Naruto before trying to attack him with his sand coffin only for the giant toad to protect Naruto with his tongue, that tongue retreating moments later to reveal that Gaara had managed to trap Naruto in his sand.

He would tell him that he would be killed by Gaara because Gaara would not cease to exist.

It was then that Naruto would build up his chakra once again, that same red chakra from before immediately invading his senses before Naruto would launch himself at him only to be captured by Gaara's sand. Naruto would try to punch him only to end up slamming his head harshly into Gaara's causing him to bleed and stunning him entirely and as Shukaku's body began to dissolve back into sand he would watch as the two of them would fall, landing on the treetops before both of them would sit up to glare at each other. Naruto would say that his chakra was gone before noting that Gaara's was as well, before telling him that they would make this last clash the last one of the battle.

They would leap at each other, fists drawn back only for Naruto to manage to get the last hit in, sending Gaara flying down to the ground before Naruto would follow him. His eyes would widen as he felt the sand that was holding him hostage began to fall away, wincing as it would finally release him and as he began to fall he would manage to quickly grab onto a branch, using it to quickly flip himself over onto it before he would wince slightly, eyes narrowing as he would move to lift his shirt, eyes narrowing as he saw bruising around his ribs.

They were either bruised or broken.

He would hiss slightly before allowing his shirt to fall back into place, body flickering down to where Naruto was, ignoring the cries of his name as he would ignore the pain that flared up at his movement, determined to help Naruto. He would land on the ground before leaning back against a tree, watching as Naruto would inch his way towards Gaara. He would watch the determination in Naruto's eyes, would see the way that Gaara would look at Naruto and immediately his eyes would narrow once again as he would take a step forward, pain flaring up in his side as he would stumble, breath coming in labored pants as he would slowly make his way over to the both of them.

Then Gaara would tell Naruto not to come any closer to him.

Or maybe, he told both of them.

He wasn't sure.

"The pain of being isolated really is unbearable, isn't it?" Naruto's voice would fill the air, that tone unlike anything he had ever heard coming from Naruto before, the Saito heir falling silent before Naruto would continue to speak. "The way that you're feeling. I don't know why but I completely understand that it hurts. But I've met people who are important to me now and you've had someone by your side who has loved you all of this time. Someone that still loves you even after everything you've done to him. I know that you're important to him just as he is important to both of us. That's why I won't let you hurt him anymore. I won't allow any of my important people to get hurt, even if it means that I have to kill you to protect them." It was then that Gaara would ask him why he could fight so much for other people.

He would tell him that they had saved him from the hell of being all alone, that they had accepted him for who he was.

Yuuki even encouraged him and believed in his dream.

That was why they were important to him.

Naruto would edge himself forward before he would feel a hand on his back, looking back to see a pained-looking Yuuki leaning over him with a weak smile. "That's enough, Naruto. I'm fine, other than being a bit bruised up. I'm okay." Naruto's eyes would widen before softening as Yuuki would look over at Gaara. "His chakra is depleted to almost nothing. You can stop now." He would watch as Naruto would sigh in relief before passing out, Yuuki's gaze softening before hardening as Temari and Kankuro would land in front of him, glaring warily at him before the rest of the Konoha ninja would land by his side, returning the glare.

"That's-"

"I've had enough. Stop it." Gaara's voice sounded so quiet and weak and for a moment, Yuuki's glare would falter as Kankuro and Temari would part only for his gaze to meet Gaara's once again. "Yuuki..." He would murmur softly as Kankuro would help him stand. "Please." His gaze would lift before he would stand as well, meeting that teal gaze that almost looked desperate and for a moment he could see the child that he loved so dearly looking back at him. Naruto's words would replay over and over again in his mind as his eyes slowly closed.

**_'You've loved him all of this time, despite everything he's done.'_**

**_'You never fought back. You let him do what he wanted to you.'_**

He still loved him.

He loved him so much that it _**hurt.**_

* * *

Slowly those eyes would open and much to his horror he felt the familiar traces of tears that were running down his cheeks as he would gift the redhaired boy a broken smile. "Naruto was right. I've tried lying to myself all of this time. I tried telling myself that you are just a stranger that wears the face of my beloved friend. I tried to hate you but how could I ever hate you? The truth is that you could break every bone in my body. You could destroy my soul and my entire world but I will never hate you."

He would always see him as the cute little boy who wanted so badly to marry him that he had pestered everyone until they had that pretend wedding and those fake vows that Gaara intended to hold him to.

"Even so. You played a role in attacking my village. You harmed my friends. You almost killed the boy who saved my life." The part of him that loved Gaara demanded that he embrace the boy and forgive everything that he had done. He could sense that there was some sort of change within Gaara, that Naruto had managed to break through to him. The more rational part of him told him to cut all ties with the boy and forget about him. He had done all sorts of horrible things, had hurt a lot of people.

Even so, all he could see as he looked at him was the boy who sobbed so hard when he left that day all of the years ago and deep down a part of him would always blame himself for how Gaara had turned out due to his absence from his life.

If he had never left, would Gaara have turned out the same?

He didn't know.

"Yuuki. What are you thinking about?! You can't possibly be thinking about forgiving him after everything he's done?!" Akio's voice would cut through his thoughts and his gaze would turn to look at the boy whose icy eyes burned hotly as he glared at the boy who stood on the opposing side. "He betrayed the leaf village! He damaged our home and people have died because of him! He tried to kill us and I know for a fact that he hurt you! How could forgiving him even be a thought in your mind?!" For a moment he would remain silent before a gentle voice would cut through the tension in the air, the words spoken surprising even him.

"You wouldn't understand right now Akio. Maybe one day, but not right now." Yuna's voice was the one of reason, soft and gentle as she fixed both of the boys with a look of pity and for a moment he would almost be surprised before he would remember that the gentle medic had once been in their same position. "When someone is precious to you, it becomes so easy to forgive them no matter what they do. Yuuki, do what you feel is right. You stood by me when it came to Haku, I will do the same for you and Gaara. I do not think your relationship is by any means healthy but I will not abandon you, Yuuki."

"Are you both insane?!" Sasuke's voice would cut through as he would glare warily at Gaara, immediately agreeing with Akio. "He could have killed Yuuki. He could have killed all of us and you're willing to forgive him because of something as trivial as love? Yuuki you are supposed to be the smart one on your team! How could you do something so foolish?!"

"Because he's the closest thing I have left to a purpose in this world." His voice would cut in as he would stare directly ahead at Gaara, fixing the surprised boy with such an intense gaze that he could see the slight movement of the boy's eyes as they widened in surprise. "Akio, Sasuke. You both would not understand what it feels like. You were both born to great clans in Konoha while I was born to an almost extinct clan of illusionists in Sunagakure. It is true that both of you lost everything and for that, I pity both of you. Even so, neither of you can grasp what it feels like to be ignored and shunned because you do not belong. I know Gaara's pain the same as I know Naruto's because this is how the villagers have treated me ever since my parents died. Akio you of all people should know why I can't abandon Gaara." Those eyes would widen even further as he heard Yuuki's words before Gaara would reach out for him once more, though this time Yuuki would move, wrapping his arms around Gaara as he would hold him tightly. "You two can hate me if you want. Brand me a traitor like your uncle if you must Akio. I've been shunned by this village all of my life. Being shunned and exiled by one more person even if it is you Akio, will not break me. I will not abandon Gaara no matter what happens to me." His lips would brush against the tattoo for love that was etched on his forehead, eyes softening as he would look down at those teal eyes before he would lean down, ignoring the blood as he would gently brush his lips against Gaara's in a soft kiss.

The first he willingly gifted to Gaara.

He would pull away a moment later gifting the redhaired boy a small, weak smile as he would hand him over to a stunned Kankuro before that smile would falter as Gaara would reach for him again. "I cannot be by your side right now Gaara. My place, for the time being, is in Konohagakure." He would ignore the scoff that came from Akio before continuing on. "But I promise that one day I will return to Suna. When I do, it will be for good and I will stay there by your side. You have my word." His gaze would turn to Temari and Kankuro. "Take care of him in my absence. That's the least you could do after all of the trouble you caused here."

It was then that they would disappear, running away and as he felt the harsh glare of his angered teammate on his back all he could do was sigh softly. He had just become the thing that Akio hated the most and Yuna had taken Yuuki's side in this matter, effectively isolating Akio for the very first time. Team One was going to be put to the test in these upcoming weeks as they struggled to recover from this. He only hoped that their bonds with each other wouldn't completely fade away as a result of this.

Only time would tell.


	16. Chapter 16

_"If it keeps him safe. I will do anything. Pay any price, even if it means selling my body and soul to the devil."_

The words that he had once spoken so confidently echoed through the silence of his troubled mind as he sat alone in his room, isolated away from the world of the Hidden Sound just as Orochimaru wanted him to be. It never ceased to amaze him just how jealous and possessive the older man truly was over him when it all came down to it. To have Akira locked away in a tiny room, forbidding him from interacting with anyone other than Kabuto simply because he feared that he would be so easily swayed from his side by someone younger than he was. To have him unable to leave his room unless one of them were around to guide him just in case he dared trying to escape.

Orochimaru acted as if he didn't hold the one thing Akira had left in this world in his hands, ready to crush him the moment Akira dared disobey him.

Golden eyes would raise to look up at the wall from the scroll he had been studying only moments before. A tanned hand would move to gently brush loose strands of his hair behind his ear before a soft sigh would leave him once again. Orochimaru had refused to allow him to come along on his mission to the leaf village, sprouting some nonsense about Akira's desire to be free from him greater than his desire to keep his nephew safe despite everything he had done to ensure the former.

It was irritating.

Perhaps what was even more irritating was the fact that the man really did know Akira well enough to see past the smiles and the false declarations of loyalty and love. He may have loved Orochimaru once in the past but this monster was no longer him. Any and all traces of the man that he once was had long since vanished, never to be seen again. Or perhaps, they had never been there in the first place and he had simply been fooled until he was too far ensnared to be able to free himself from Orochimaru's coils.

There was something within Orochimaru that was able to sense when it was that Akira lied to him. He was somehow able to see through everything and because of that he held onto him as though he would vanish the moment he left his sight. He knew that the moment he was able to, Akira would grab Akio before trying to convince Kabuto to join him as well, ultimately disappearing somewhere he would never be able to find him again.

So he kept him under lock and key as a caged bird who was locked away in a gilded cage.

The frustration that ate away at him each and every moment that he was forced to endure this isolation was nearly enough to drive him insane. In the moments he was not rereading the endless amounts of scrolls that Orochimaru left him with to entertain himself he would find himself daring to dream of another life where he could have been free had he not fallen under Orochimaru's twisted spell. He would dream of another life, one in the Hidden Leaf with a family of his own. He would dream of a life where he had not been unfortunate enough to capture the eye of Orochimaru and instead, had ended up with someone else.

If he was feeling particularly brave, he would dream of Sakumo.

He wondered what that man must think of him from beyond the grave as he fell from being one of the most honorable ninjas in Konoha to serving as a glorified bedwarmer to the man who had betrayed everything that they had both once stood for. He wondered what he would think of him, who had been forced to kill his own brother and sister-in-law in cold blood to protect a child who was not even his. To think that a pair of parents could be so willing to sacrifice their only child to a power hungry fool like Danzō was still something that was able to make his blood boil even after all of his years away from the village.

He wondered if, in the end, his efforts would all be for naught.

He wondered if what he had done could ever be forgiven.

For a moment his eyes would close and his brow would furrow as he thought about just what could have happened to Akio, what sort of life the innocent boy would have lived had he not gotten involved. He thought of the boy being raised alone and under the watchful gaze of the fool. Thought about what it would have been like to have his personality robbed away from him as he was forced to become a weapon for the coward that hid behind the darkness of his foolish actions. Those golden eyes would open only to glare at the wall in front of him so harshly that it would have melted away if his looks would have had the power to kill.

If it was the last thing he ever did, he would make sure that Danzō would get exactly what was coming to him.

He would be distracted from his thoughts by a large amount of noise that was coming from outside of his room. His brow would furrow slightly in confusion before he would move to open his door and he was honestly surprised to see the Sound Four carrying Orochimaru while Kabuto hurried after the four of them. The silver-haired man would bark out various orders as he ordered them to carry him to his medical room and to move quickly, something that confirmed his suspicions that something had happened, even so, he would still decide to ask.

"Kabuto?" The silver-haired man's irritation would quickly fade away as his dark gaze met the golden gaze of the former leaf ninja. "What is going on? Did something happen to him on the trip to the Hidden Leaf?" An attempt to peer over the medic's shoulder was quickly interrupted as he would gift the brunette a tight-lipped smile before stepping into his line of sight as his gaze softened when it would finally meet that golden gaze again.

"It was just a minor inconvenience Akira-sama. It is nothing worth concerning yourself with. Though, If it is not too much to ask of you, I would like to ask that you return to your room for the time being since you are well aware that Orochimaru-sama does not like it when you're out and about without either me or him escorting you. You are lucky that he did not see you right now or his mood would have gotten a lot worse then it already is. With that said, I do not believe Orochimaru-sama will be visiting you tonight so I will try and come to see you after I'm finished looking at him. Please do not try anything Akira-sama." Those words were enough to make his mood plummet as he would turn away from Kabuto's apologetic smile. He was not in the mood to deal with the boy's pity as he would hurry back into his room before making a mental note to try and sneak out at some point later on in the night when he was sure he would be safe.

Whatever happened to Orochimaru it became clear to him that he would not have to worry about a surprise visit from the man at any point during the night and he doubted that Kabuto would remember to check up on him with everything that was going on. He would use a transformation jutsu and would sneak out of his room so he could explore a bit and add a bit more to the map he had managed to not only create but also keep hidden from Orochimaru of the hideout.

He wanted his freedom.

Even if that freedom was limited to only being able to escape from the suffocating isolation that was his room for an hour or two, he would take what little he could get.

* * *

Yuuki would remain locked away in his room with his eyes focused on the ground as he would rest his chin on his knees. As it turned out, the Third Hokage had died during the battle with Orochimaru and Akio had all but blamed him for the Hokage's death once he had found out. He had said that the third would never find justice because he had allowed the accomplices to his murderer to run free instead of capturing them and forcing them to stand trial for their role in the crime. Akio had yelled at him the entire way back and throughout most of the night before falling silent. He was apparently so disgusted with him that he could not even bear to look at him any longer.

Sasuke was no better and Sakura dutifully stood by his side, choosing to avoid engaging in conversation with him and staying by Sasuke's side the entire time. It seemed as though the only two that did not treat him any differently were Yuna and Naruto who both stood loyally by Yuuki's side. Both of them argued that they understood where it was that Yuuki was coming from and both stating that they would not turn their backs on Yuuki no matter what since he had not once turned his back on either of them when they needed him.

Then there was Ryosuke and Kakashi.

Kakashi had remained silent when he found out that Yuuki had allowed the sand siblings to return to Sunagakure, seemingly deep in thought until he simply said that it could not be helped. Orochimaru had been posing as the Kazekage and the siblings had merely been following the orders of their leader and father. It was something that he said he could not fault them for doing no matter how much he wanted to. Ryosuke would simply state that since Gaara was precious to Yuuki, he would not make him choose between the village and Gaara. It was something that had caused Akio to nearly explode again as he took out his anger on their sensei this time.

Ryosuke had only gifted Akio a disappointed look as the Koyabashi heir simply took off after saying what he felt needed to be said. Sasuke had left behind him shortly after before quickly being followed by Sakura, Yuuki's gaze not once leaving the ground in front of him as they all abandoned him. It was disheartening to him that he did not even try to see the position that Yuuki had found himself in and for a moment he had found himself wondering if Akio even had the capability of loving another human being only to feel awful immediately after.

Akio had been willing to die to protect everyone from what he had been told. Even if he was angry at Yuuki because he could not understand him he knew for a fact that the boy was capable of loving despite what had happened to him in the past. He only hoped that one day, someone would manage to get through those walls he managed to put up around his heart so he could understand him and Yuna.

Part of him hoped that it would be Sasuke since both of them seemed to be much closer after what had happened with Gaara, though he knew that it could also be a problem somewhere down the line since the both of them could be so similar to each other sometimes that it was almost scary. Then again, Akio was not completely consumed by the thought of revenge and he seemed to be something of a good influence on Sasuke from what he could tell.

If it was meant to happen it would happen.

The chirping of the birds was enough to make Yuuki look up, his gaze falling upon the outfit that he had chosen to wear for the Hokage's funeral. For a moment he would wonder if it was even appropriate for him to attend such an event after what had happened. He had not been close to the Third Hokage in any way, having seen him as nothing more than a weak old man who was too soft and cowardly to do what needed to be done in order to make the village a better place. He had felt as though the old man knew something about the death of his parents that he refused to disclose to him.

Like how the hell both of them had been killed on such a low ranked mission in the first place despite the fact that both of them had been jonin and such a thing should have been impossible. Something had never quite added up about what had happened to his parents and he was determined to find out what had really killed the both of them if it was the last thing he did.

That was the only reason he had not returned to Sunagakure with Gaara.

It was with that thought that he would stand, allowing himself to get ready as he would dress in the black outfit before making his way to their usual meeting place only to find Yuna, Haku, and Ryosuke already there and waiting for him. Akio was once again nowhere to be found and he would think to himself that the icy-eyed boy had more than likely decided to arrive at the funeral with Team Seven.

Maybe it was better that way.

It would start raining the minute they would arrive at the funeral, everyone present wearing a sad expression as they all recalled their memories of the recently passed man. It seemed as though he had been deeply beloved by all of those who attended, something that honestly surprised the illusionist before his gaze would lower to the ground as he realized that just because he had not been fond of the old man did not mean that everyone else saw the same faults in him that Yuuki did.

Even if they did, it seemed as though they would rather remember the good times instead of the bad. As the funeral would commence Yuuki would stare straight ahead, watching as every shinobi would pay their respects by leaving a pretty white flower on the grave, Yuuki lining up after Yuna and when it was his turn to leave the flower his gaze would lower as he would gently lay the flower there to rest amongst the others, dark blues moving to glance at the photo one last time before moving on.

May he rest in peace.

He was surprised as the rain would eventually stop falling, his gaze lifting to the sky as the sun would slowly reveal itself from beneath the clouds and for a moment the illusionist would stand there staring before a small weak smile would cross the purple-haired boy's lips as a feeling of hope would well up within his chest. If the sun could shine so brightly during a day as miserable as this one was then surely life would still go on.

Akio and Sasuke would eventually forgive him for letting Gaara, Kankuro and Temari go. Eventually, they would see things the way that he and everyone else did and things would, at last, go back to normal. Those were the thoughts that ran through his head as he would make his way back to his home, stumbling across a scroll that was already waiting on his doorstep. A single brow would raise in confusion for a moment before he would lean down to pick up the scroll those eyes softening the moment that he saw the handwriting.

Gaara.

It had only been a few days since the last time they had seen each other and he had already sent him a letter. Unbidden, a single smile would cross Yuuki's lips as his gaze would soften the slightest bit before he would make his way into his home. His mood already taking a turn from the better now that he knew that Gaara had taken the time to immediately contact him upon returning home.

Gaara really was too cute for his own good.

* * *

Ryosuke would lean against the entrance to the dumpling shop while humming a soft tune under his breath as he would gaze up at the sky, golden gaze only leaving the sky once someone would settle next to him before gifting Kakashi a warm as he would settle next to him. "Are you here to buy an offering? Or are you meeting someone here? It is a nice place to go on a date if you are into that sort of thing." He would muse softly, watching as Kakashi would shake his head with a chuckle.

"Both. I came here to buy an offering and while I am here to meet up with someone, it's nothing like a date. I am starting to think that the person I am interested in has either gotten over their feelings for me or is about as oblivious as Naruto when it comes to this sort of thing, so I'm not sure if I will be going on any dates any time soon." That was enough to make Ryosuke pause for a moment before he would gift the silver-haired man a small, weak smile.

"Oh, so you have found someone that you like! Good for you Kakashi! I was hoping that you would find someone who was capable of making you happy. Let me know if you need any help with winning them over, I'm not exactly experienced in that area but I would be happy to help in any way- why are you looking at me like that?" He would gift his friend with a confused look as the other man would look at him with an almost amused look on his face before watching as the white-haired man would move closer to him, invading his personal space until he was almost pinned to the entrance of the sweetshop.

"You really are oblivious like Naruto is, aren't you? Here I thought I was being painfully obvious." Golden eyes would widen as he looked at Kakashi, eyes widening even further as the man's hand would move to pull down to his mask, revealing the charming face he had not seen in a very long time as he leaned even closer. "K-K-Kakashi. Wh-what are you doing?!" His eyes would widen even further as he felt the warm brush of his longtime friend's lips against his own, heart skipping a beat within his chest as his face would explode in a dark blush as the man would pull away from him and would quickly pull up his mask.

"Do you understand now? I thought I made it clear with what happened between us in the Land Of Waves but then we had that argument about Haku and I was not sure where you thought we stood. You seemed to treat me the same as always but you didn't reject me when I held your hand or whenever I tried anything else. You really made it difficult for me you know." For a moment Ryosuke could only gape at the other man, mind trying and failing repeatedly to come up with the words to say as Kakashi would move away from him.

"I never thought in a million years that you would see me as anything but an annoying friend from your past." He would finally say after a moment before his gaze would turn to meet Kakashi's amused gaze. "I-are you really okay with someone like me? I mean really okay? I don't want to let you get your hopes up about me. With me what you see is what you would get." He would fall silent as he felt that gloved hand grasp onto his own.

"I'm sure. There was never a doubt in my mind once I realized that you were the one I wanted. If anything I should be the one asking if you're okay with someone like me. You've been waiting all of this time for me and I'm sure I haven't made things easy for you. I'm sorry Ryosuke."

"I-"

"Well, it's about time." Their attention would be stolen by a very amused looking Kurenai and Asuma as they approached the sweetshop, the words being spoken by a smug looking Asuma as he would smirk at the two of them. "Anko owes me money. She was starting to complain that the rest of us were going to have to get involved to get the two of you together." Ryosuke's blush would turn even darker at the teasing, the black haired male trying his best to collect himself much to the amusement of his friends before Kakashi would make a remark about Kurenai and Asuma looking chummy as well, something that made the both of them blush as Kurenai snapped that she was here to buy Anko some dumplings.

Then she would ask if the two of them were here on a date or if they were here to buy some offerings.

"I asked Yuuki to meet me here so we could go over a few things about his training. With everything that happened, it's going to be up to him to train himself for a bit while I am busy with helping rebuild the village." Kakashi would mention that he was here to buy an offering while also mentioning that he had made plans to meet Sasuke, his eye narrowing as he would look inside of the shop and as Ryosuke's gaze would subtly follow Kakashi's, they would take in the two forms wearing the cloud cloaks and the hats that hid their faces, golden eyes narrowing slightly.

Then the sound of approaching footsteps would steal his attention as both Yuuki and Sasuke would come into his line of vision, a sigh leaving his lips as he noticed that Sasuke was still not speaking with his student. He had been hoping that Sasuke would be the more reasonable one, knowing how stubborn Akio could be when it all came down to it but he supposed he was wishing for too much.

It looked like he was going to have to stage an intervention between all of them at some point in order to get things back to normal.

* * *

Yuuki's eyes would narrow slightly as he took in the weird atmosphere between the four jonin watching as Kakashi would nod at Kurenai and Asuma before they would disappear, leaving only the four of them remaining and as he would share a glance with Ryosuke his eyes would narrow slightly. He could immediately sense that something was wrong and as his gaze would fall upon the two cups of steaming hot tea and the plates of dumplings that sat on the table his eyes would narrow even further.

Someone had been sitting there and had left when Sasuke and Yuuki came.

The question was who.

He would listen to Ryosuke as he mentioned something about how he would be responsible for training on his own for a bit. Ryosuke was apparently going to be busy with his own missions along with helping to rebuild the village and as he would instruct him to continue working on his taijutsu along with building his stamina, he would nearly roll his eyes though he managed to keep his face straight long enough for the jonin's attention to be turned elsewhere. If it wasn't obvious by now that he wasn't meant for taijutsu or hand to hand combat, he didn't know how to help the older man.

Even so, he would humor him knowing the man only had good intentions and as he would leave him alone with Sasuke, his gaze would narrow as he would immediately switch his chakra to sensory mode, focusing on his sensei's chakra before his eyes would narrow as it seemed to quickly be heading in the opposite direction, confirming his suspicions that something truly was wrong if his sensei was moving that quickly.

Part of him wanted to follow after him just to see what was going on and for a moment he would stand there, contemplating before his eyes would narrow as he would bite down on his thumb before pressing it down to the ground, summoning his favorite owls, Kaede and Kohaku.

"Yuuki? What is going on?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to ask you both if you guys could do for me what you did for me during my match with Haku and help me completely suppress my presence. I have a feeling that something is going on and I need to be sneaky about following Ryosuke-sensei." The owls would immediately agree with his request and he would immediately follow after Ryosuke, the owls casting the Transparent Escape technique onto Yuuki as he would find himself standing on the opposing side of a ravine, eyes widening when he saw two people dressed in black cloaks with red clouds on them fighting against Kurenai, Asuma, Ryosuke, and Kakashi.

He would watch as Kakashi would stand with a kunai pressed to Itachi's throat while Ryosuke would stand off to the side, kunai pressed snugly against Itachi's back. The man who looked like a shark would mention knowing who Kakashi and Ryosuke were before Kakashi would tell them that he had noticed them inside of the tea shop before saying their names, Yuuki's eyes widening as he would reveal that the man with the long black hair was named Itachi Uchiha.

This was Sasuke's older brother that had murdered his entire clan.

The fish looking man was named Kisame and he originated from the hidden mist which was something that made his eyes narrow as he realized that Kimigakure, in particular, seemed to have a lot of missing ninja. Yuna's parents had fled from the village while dubbing it the Bloody Mist while Haku and Zabuza had also defected from the village as well. Now it was this guy that looked like a walking and talking fish from some sort of children's story gone horribly wrong.

What next, were the plants going to start coming to life as well?

The man would mention that he had heard about Kakashi and Ryosuke's fight with Zabuza before the fish would tell him that he would be worth killing only for Itachi to tell him to stop as he got ready to fight Kakashi's clone. He would warn the fish that fighting with Kakashi would not end well for him before saying that if they wasted too much time here that other shinobi would come running to their aid. They did not come here to get injured and apparently they had come here to find something and as Kakashi would ask them what they were looking for while Itachi would stay silent.

Kakashi would ask once again only for Itachi to remark that he was different because he would not waste time. Then he would draw out multiple shurikens, Kakashi immediately jumping back as Ryosuke would immediately move to stab him only for the Sharingan user to disappear before reappearing behind him. It was something that caused Ryosuke to smirk as Kakashi would activate the water wall to protect him long enough for him to activate his magma armor, the water falling as he would launch himself at Itachi. He would inhale before exhaling as he sent a wave of molten lava flying directly at him only for the man to disappear once again.

This time he would appear behind Kakashi before stabbing him in the back with a kunai only for it to dissolve in a splash of water as Ryosuke would once again launch himself at Itachi. This time he would send several short flares of lava from his mouth which Itachi would dodge almost effortlessly much to the black haired jonin's frustration as Kakashi would burst up from the water yanking Kurenai and as Itachi would charge at them with his kunai drawn, Ryosuke would move to defend the both of them, a burst of fire leaving his mouth and seemingly incinerating Itachi, burning him to a crisp.

Then Itachi would appear once again, frowning at the Yotsuki male.

"You are getting in my way far too much and your magma armor is proving to be annoying. As is your lava release." His gaze would then turn to Kakashi as he would speak once again. "I didn't expect you who are not a member of the Uchiha clan to have mastered that eye to such an extent but your body is not an Uchiha clan body that goes with that eye. There's a reason the Uchiha were feared. I will show you the true power of that eye, the Kekkei Genkai using your little friend here. Then I will come and make short work out of the rest of you as well." It was then that he locked eyes with Ryosuke and as Kakashi would yell out for him not to meet Itachi's eyes, he would find that the warning would come too late.

He had already gotten Ryosuke.

* * *

It would seem like only seconds would pass by before Ryosuke's magma armor would fade as he would collapse to his hands and knees, body trembling from something as he was left heaving and for a moment the Yuuki heir would watch in horror as Itachi would stare at Ryosuke with an emotionless look in his eye. He would watch as Kisame would teleport over to his side. The shark would smirk as Asuma would quickly join Kakashi and Kurenai before turning his attention to Itachi. He would scold him as he told him that it was dangerous for him to overuse his eyes so much.

Itachi seemed to be trembling after having used them once.

Did it mean that something would happen to him if he would use them so many times?

Kakashi's gaze would fall on the form of Ryosuke before turning on Itachi as he asked him if he was looking for Sasuke which Itachi would deny before stating that he was looking for the legacy of the Fourth Hokage. It was then that Kakashi would state that the nine tailed fox inside of Naruto was his target and that he knew that they weren't the only ones on the move and that he knew the organization that he was in was called Akatsuki, something that caused both Kisame and Itachi to react in shock.

It was Itachi's next words that caused his heart to stop again.

"Kisame. First, we'll kill the Lava release user. Then Kakashi and the others." Kisame would run at Ryosuke with his sword ready to strike him down only for Lee's sensei to appear out of nowhere as he would kick him away from Ryosuke as he stood in front of him, ready to defend. Ryosuke would sigh softly, gifting the strange man a small smile before falling forward, body sinking down into the water before Gai would quickly grab onto him, lifting him out of the water and hoisting him over his shoulder.

"You did this to Ryosuke?" He would ask solemnly as he looked over at the two of them only for Kakashi to tell him not to look into his eyes. Gai would tell Asuma and Kurenai to open their eyes and would tell them to look at their feet and read Itachi's movements through his feet instead. He would warn Kakashi to do the same thing as well before handing Ryosuke over to Kurenai before telling her to get him to the medical team as soon as possible. He would state that Kakashi and Asuma would be his backups until the Anbu he had arranged for arrived to detain them.

It was then that Itachi would state that they did not come here to start a war and the nonsense they were facing would have to end then and there. He would state that they were leaving and as they would vanish, Yuuki would release a shaky breath before turning his gaze towards the jonin who held his sensei, watching as they conversed amongst themselves before they would all disappear, apparently taking Ryosuke to the hospital and once he was sure that he was completely alone he would allow the owls to dispel their jutsu, falling silent as they would disappear as he took in all of this information.

If they were after the Nine-Tailed fox that was inside of Naruto.

There was a very good chance that they would be after Gaara's Shukaku as well.

Shit.

* * *

Yuuki would read over his note to Gaara with a critical eye as he looked for any mistakes, a soft sigh leaving his lips before his gaze would narrow as he would bite down on his thumb before pressing it down to his desk, smiling at Kaede as she would reveal herself once again. He would chuckle softly as she would jump onto his shoulder, nuzzling him gently before she would offer him her talon which he would gently tie the scroll to.

"Another love letter to little Gaara? You two are so cute that I just can't believe you're real. I wish you could see the little smile that he gets when he sees me. He looks like a child. It's adorable." The owl would coo softly before taking in the expression on his face and her features would turn serious. "I'm sure he will appreciate the warning as well. Have you heard anything about your sensei's condition?"

"No. I'm getting ready to visit his home under the guise of checking up on him since I heard the jonin did not even end up taking him to the hospital." He would mutter softly as his brow would furrow before he would sigh and would open up the window, the owl nuzzling him once more before she would fly out of his window to start making the trip to Sunagakure.

He was fortunate that he had ended up with the owls after all.

He would be shaken from his thoughts a moment later by a fierce pounding on his door and for a moment he would simply sit there in irritation before moving to open his door revealing a very frantic looking Sasuke who would immediately lunge forward as he grabbed onto him. "I need you to come with me right now. You're a tracker and you're going to help me. If you do what I ask I will forgive you for your stupidity and I will get Akio to talk to you again." The words were spoken so quickly that he barely could manage to decipher what it was that Sasuke said to him before his brow would furrow once again.

"What is going on that you need my help? You need to tell me before I agree to anything I might regret."

"My brother Itachi is after Naruto. I need you to track him so we can get to him before Itachi does. Otherwise, Naruto will die."

There were two things he was starting to notice.

One was that people seemed all too willing to drag him into dangerous situations because of his talents, something that he was sure was meant to be a sign to start keeping his talents hidden instead of sharing them for the entire world to see.

The second was that trouble always seemed to be drawn to Naruto like paint was to canvas.

This was starting to get old.


	17. Chapter 17

Yuuki would dutifully follow Sasuke as he led the way to the post village, eyes closed as he tried his hardest to sense Naruto's specific chakra in an attempt to locate the blonde boy. While he was just as worried as Sasuke was for their friend's safety, he also knew that there was nothing to be gained from panicking and losing his cool. As they would reach the village he would try his best to focus on Naruto's chakra signature so he could try tracking it through the crowds of people that were gathered in the village while Sasuke simply stared at him impatiently. "You need to hurry and find him. We can't just stand here and wait for Itachi to get him." He would hiss impatiently while Yuuki would simply twitch in irritation before he would allow one eye to open, fixing the Uchiha heir with a glare.

"Finding and locking onto a single person's chakra signature in a crowd of people is not exactly a beginner's task even for a sensor. It does take some time to do. If you are not content to wait and think running around like a fool will get you the results you are after then be my guest." He would listen as Sasuke would scoff before choosing to remain silent and Yuuki would go back to trying to track Naruto's chakra, lips forming a smirk as he would speak. "I have found him. But hold on." He would bite down on his thumb before pressing it to the ground and summoning two owls, Kohaku and Mizu.

"I would have preferred to lend you Kaede since I have worked with her the most but for now you are going to have to use Mizu." The owl would land onto Sasuke's shoulder who would look at the bird strangely before turning his gaze to Yuuki with an impatient huff. "Before you say anything, owls are my summon for a reason. They are experts at aiding with genjutsu. They use wind nature attacks and they are excellent with concealing someone's presence so you can act as a spy. If we are going to run into danger we need to conceal ourselves so we can come up with a plan to help Naruto. Running into danger and attacking everything is not going to get us anywhere, especially not with your brother who murdered an entire clan. Do not do anything hasty Sasuke."

Sasuke was likely not going to listen to him but he said it anyway.

He would turn his attention to the owls, politely asking them to conceal both of them using the Transparent Escape technique once they had found Naruto's location before he would lead Sasuke to the inn where he could sense Naruto's chakra. They would confirm that Naruto was staying there with the receptionist at the desk before moving to find him, the owls immediately concealing their presence as he had asked and the moment they would make it to the room his eyes would widen as he saw that they had already been beaten there.

Itachi and Kisame were standing there staring down at Naruto as they told him that he would be coming with them.

It seemed as though they would have to fight in order to get Naruto away from him.

He would watch as Itachi would tell Naruto to step outside and as Kisame mentioned something about chopping off one of his legs, he would immediately begin forming hand signs, ready to trap the both of them in one of his genjutsu long enough for them to escape with Naruto and it was then that Sasuke would immediately run forward, startling Mizu and causing the poor owl to drop the ninjutsu as she was knocked off of Sasuke's shoulder when Itachi would move out of the way of Sasuke's attack before kicking him and sending him flying back to the beginning of the hall as he slammed into the wall.

Shit.

Sasuke would stand, eyes narrowed darkly as he called out his brother's name and immediately the illusionist would curse quietly as he would finish weaving the signs, using Sasuke's voice as a catalyst to help set the genjutsu that would trap the both of them before he would allow Kohaku to drop the cover on him as well. "Yuuki!" Naruto seemed surprised to see him there and he would gift the blonde a small, weak smile before turning his glare onto Sasuke who remained glaring at Itachi.

"You idiot! I told you not to do anything stupid! I told you not to charge in! Consider yourself lucky that I was able to use your voice as a means to trap them. I don't know how much longer it will hold either one of them so we need to grab Naruto and go. Naruto get over here, now!" He would watch as the blonde would hurry over to him before shoving him behind both him and Sasuke. "We need to leave now- Sasuke don't even think about it! I swear to god!"

Sasuke's gaze remained fixated on Itachi as the Sharingan would become activated and immediately he would swear once again as Sasuke would move to charge at them again this time with his Chidori activated. "That idiot!" He would hiss darkly before turning his gaze to Naruto. "Naruto take Mizu and Kohaku and get out of here, now! They will protect you! Go find whoever it is that you came here with! I'll stay here with Sasuke and try to keep him alive." He would fix his gaze on Sasuke, eyes narrowing as he heard the protest from Naruto before he would cut the boy off.

"Naruto this is no joke! This guy managed to take down Ryosuke sensei and put him into a coma he still has not woken up from. I need you to run away." He would watch as Naruto's face would lose color at the mention of what had happened to Ryosuke before he would shake his head, stating that he would not abandon them and it was nearly enough to make the illusionist throw him out of the nearest window.

Why had he been so willing to run away from Gaara but when it came to this guy he was willing to die?!

They would watch horrified as Itachi would manage to break Ryosuke's genjutsu right before Sasuke could hit him and as he was able to stop Sasuke's jutsu simply by grabbing onto his wrist, Yuuki would swear softly before hissing at Naruto. "Do not meet his eyes. Look anywhere but his eyes." Naruto would take that moment to start building up his chakra, Yuuki moving to stand in front of him as his eyes narrowed. His mind would race as he would try to think up something to do, hands moving to rest on his scroll inside of his pouch.

Art of life.

It was the only thing that would help them escape from this situation without putting them too close to either one of those guys. The only thing that was bad was the fact that Sasuke was too close to Itachi for him to use his jutsu without him getting caught up in it as well. He would bite down on his lip as he felt a gaze fall on him. "You must be the one who used the genjutsu. You have a contract with the owls as well. Interesting." He would watch as Itachi would tap the walking fish and as he was freed from his genjutsu he would swallow roughly.

They were so screwed.

Sasuke would move to punch Itachi only to have the older Uchiha break his wrist, something that made Yuuki wince as he heard Sasuke's screams and as he would fall down to his knees he would allow his canine teeth to pierce the bottom of his lip, fingers moving to swipe up the blood as he would pull out his scroll. It was then that Kisame would move quickly towards the two of them, sword drawn and he would take a step back before quickly yanking Naruto out of the way as the sword barely missed hitting the blonde only for him to say that he could no longer feel his chakra.

Apparently, the sword fed on chakra.

He would yank Naruto back, pushing him behind him as he gripped the scroll even tighter. He would listen as he would threaten Naruto, stating that he would cut off all of his arms and his legs as well so he could not use jutsu. "You'll have to kill me first. I won't let you lay a finger on Naruto as long as I am still alive." He would murmur darkly, stepping in front of the blonde and ignoring the look he gave him as the shark would smirk at him, raising his sword before quickly lowering it only for a giant toad to block the attack and Yuuki to sigh in relief.

They made it.

He would take that moment to run his blood along the scroll, smirking when the paintings would reveal themselves and as the person behind them would talk about not falling for a woman's tricks and that women yelped with delight at his sex appeal it was all he could do to bite his tongue as he would hold onto the paintings tightly. The sword had managed to steal a bit of his chakra as well from when he had yanked Naruto out of the way, but he felt like he could still activate the paintings if he needed to.

Anything to get them all out of there alive.

It was then that Naruto would get angry, yelling at the man as he told him that he had gotten excited simply because a woman had winked at him and Yuuki couldn't help but simply sigh as he could feel a headache coming on. "He's that bad with women? Even I could at least get them to blush when I flirted with them." He would drawl lazily, smirking as he saw the look on the white-haired man's face as Naruto would go on to say that Jiraiya should not be acting cool or suave before also saying that these people were not normal.

_'No shit, Naruto.' _Yuuki would think to himself with an annoyed expression, though he bit his tongue and would remain silent as Naruto would go on to keep calling the white-haired man a "pervy" sage which would cause Jiraiya to freak out on him. For a moment all Yuuki could do was watch them with a growing annoyed smile before turning his attention back to the shark who would laugh. He would speak of this Jiraiya being one of the three legendary sanin before also saying that he knew him to be a huge womanizer before also stating that he had managed to undo the genjutsu they had placed on the woman.

Jiraiya would call them out for using a genjutsu on an innocent woman to separate him and Naruto and as he said that he had known that Naruto was their target this entire time, Yuuki's gaze would narrow slightly. Itachi would clarify that abducting Naruto was their number one priority and as Naruto would back away, Yuuki would place a single hand on his shoulder, lightly squeezing it in reassurance before gifting the blonde a small smile. "No matter what happens. You'll be fine Naruto. I won't let them get you."

Neither would Jiraiya.

It was then that Sasuke would tell them not to interfere and as he would shakily get onto his feet he would tell them that the one who was going to kill Itachi would be him. He would watch as the boy would run towards Itachi before wincing as he would kick him back once again and as Naruto would move to help him he would block his way with his arm, not allowing him to advance. "Yuuki why are you getting in my way?! We have to help-"

"There's nothing we can do Naruto! This guy was strong enough to hold off four of our jonin. Rushing in like you want to do will only get us hurt if not killed." That being said, he was not about to just stand around and do nothing either. His gaze would narrow as it would fix from Itachi to Kisame, trying to figure out how fast he would need to be in order to get his plan to work and wondering if it would even be able to due to Itachi's Sharingan.

It was a technique he made for himself, so there was a good chance at the very least it would surprise him.

He would watch as the man would pick up Sasuke by his throat before seemingly subjecting him to the same genjutsu that he had tortured Ryosuke with and it was then that he would choose to act. He would immediately gather chakra into his arm as he drew it back before launching the painting as hard as he could, midnight blues watching as it would fly through the air before Naruto would manage to shoot past him, Yuuki's eyes widening in panic as Kisame decided to give chase before he would toss another one of his paintings at the shark, smirking as it would bounce off of his head before he would close his eyes and would make the signs needed to activate his jutsu.

"Art of Life!" He would watch as the same roots that had come to his aid during his fight with Haku would spring from both of the paintings as they would quickly move to constrict both of the men and at that moment he would watch as Jiraiya would act as well, the hallway turning into some weird kind of muscle filled mass. He would watch as Sasuke would slip away from Itachi as the man's Sharingan would narrow first at the vines that trapped him before narrowing at the trap they had found themselves in. Yuuki and Naruto were told to stay still before they were told that this was Jiraiya's jutsu and that he intended to make food for some giant toad out of the two Akatsuki members.

It was then that Itachi would tell Kisame to come to him and Yuuki would watch with slight frustration as both of them were able to easily break through his paintings, remnants of paint falling to the floor before he would quickly lean down, pouring his chakra into the ground and watching as the paint reformed into the roots before chasing both Kisame and Itachi once the roots were able to touch the splattering of paint and feed his chakra into it to give it life once again.

He was not about to let these assholes get away.

It seemed as though Jiraiya had the same thoughts for it was then that walls of flesh began chasing after the two criminals and for a moment as everything fell silent he had hoped that the older man had managed to capture them only for the building to shake. It was then that Jiraiya would run around the corner with the two boys following after him only to find that a giant hole had been made in the wall, black flames leaking from it.

That wasn't good.

They would watch as Jiraiya would seal away the fire before they would all tend to Sasuke, Yuuki looking the boy over and realizing that he was catatonic. "Shit. I knew we should have brought Yuna along with us. It was a stupid decision coming alone especially since it's Sasuke and I knew for a fact that he was never going to listen to me to begin with." Yuuki would run his hand through his hair with a soft growl of frustration as he would glare darkly at the wall as if it had done something to personally offend him.

Then Guy would come and kick Jiraiya directly in the face.

He would apologize sheepishly to Jiraiya who would wave off his apology before saying that they needed to get Sasuke to the medical team as soon as possible because Itachi had broken not only his wrist but his ribs as well and it appeared as though he had sustained a good amount of mental damage as well. It was then that Naruto would get pissed as he said that if it was him that they wanted then he would go right on over to them, something that made Yuuki sigh.

This village was filled with idiots, it seemed.

Jiraiya would tell Naruto that if he were to go to them now that he would simply get killed because they were on a completely different level than he was. Naruto would become pissed before asking if he was supposed to keep running away and live in fear, something that pissed Jiraiya off as he told Naruto to shut up before telling him that he was weak. It was then that the white-haired man would look at Yuuki who looked completely unamused by Naruto's words before speaking. "Besides. Your friend here did everything he could to try and keep you safe. He even used his body as a shield and was willing to take the killing blow for you. Don't insult him by being so eager to throw your life away."

He would then turn to Guy before telling him that he was sorry for not acting sooner only for Guy to tell him that Ryosuke had managed to fall to the same jutsu and they had no idea when he would manage to regain consciousness. He would tell them that Kakashi was currently guarding the unconscious jonin, which put the Saito heir slightly at ease before watching as Guy would simply stare at Sasuke before stating that whenever he saw students hurt that he wished with all of his heart that the person who was a medical specialist was there.

Jiraiya would then say that he and Naruto were on their way to go and find her which was something that surprised Guy.

They were going to bring Tsunade back to Konoha.

* * *

The four of them would all stand at the entrance to the post town, Guy carrying Sasuke on his back before he would ask Jiraiya to quickly bring the woman back, to which Naruto would immediately respond as he promised they would be back quickly. Guy would smile at him before stating that he liked children with guts like him. He would then tell him that he had something for him before pulling out that horrible green jumpsuit that he seemingly pulled out of nowhere and as he told Naruto about the supposed benefits the ugly thing had, Yuuki would find his brow twitching slightly in response.

If Naruto ever tried to wear that ugly thing in front of him he swore he would burn it.

As Guy would begin to head back to the village, Yuuki would sigh before turning his attention back to his friend. "Be careful Naruto and do not do anything too reckless. I won't be with you to save you this time. I expect you to come back to Konoha in one piece or so help me don't come back at all." His eyes would narrow before he would give Naruto a dark smile that would have the boy trembling as he would quickly agree to what he had said, causing the illusionist to smile once again before he would move to follow after Guy.

He didn't know why, but he had a bad feeling building up within his stomach.

He had a feeling something bad was going to happen.

* * *

Pained screams would fill the halls of the hideout as the brown-haired man would get closer and closer to the room he had wanted to avoid more than anywhere else in the entire base. A sigh would leave his lips as he would fix Kabuto with a tired sort of glare before that look would wash away fluidly as he would enter the room in front of him, golden eyes widening slightly as the scent of iron would assault his senses before his gaze would fall upon the deceased form of the person that had been left in charge of looking after Orochimaru before he would turn his gaze onto the man who looked over him with a look that was so dark that it was nearly enough to send shivers down his spine.

"My. That one certainly did not last long." He would muse before moving over to Orochimaru's side as he would gather up the blood-stained sheets before gently removing them from the bed and setting them off to the side as he would move to grab a damp towel before leaning over to wipe off the blood on Orochimaru's face and chest with a critical eye. "He really must have been out of line for you to act that way. How are you feeling?" It was then that Kabuto would mention already having to clean the room just as he got back and he would scold Orochimaru as he told him that he needed to take his medicine only for Orochimaru to say that he did not need their lip service, something that made a single brow raise on Akira's features.

"Would you prefer me gone then? Perhaps I'm not the best company for you to have when you're in this kind of mood, despite the fact that you're the one who asked for me to be here." He would muse softly before immediately falling silent when he felt the intensity of Orochimaru's stare on him. "I am only kidding. You can relax Orochimaru, I will not leave your side until you ask me to." He would seemingly relax with Akira's reassurance before Kabuto would speak, telling him that the medicine he had prescribed him had been specifically chosen to help ease his pain and at the very least it would help him a little.

Then he revealed that he had found who it was he had been looking for, stating that Tsunade had been found in a place called Tanzaku Town and immediately Akira's gaze would soften at the thought of the blonde female as Orochimaru would gift a dark smile. Kabuto would then state that since it was her, the opponent would not be easy. It was then that Orochimaru would chuckle darkly before stating that good medicine often tasted bitter and as he would feel his gaze on him again he would gift another soft sigh before turning his attention back to Orochimaru as he stared at him with a dark glint in his eye.

"Besides. We do have an ace card. Akira will be coming with us this time. Tsunade may deny it but she's always had a soft spot for my Akira. Ever since we were children. He will be our secret weapon if it turns out that we do need to fight her. I doubt she will be able to hurt him even if it is revealed that he is working with us." For a moment the golden-eyed man would remain emotionless as his gaze would remain focused only on his hands before he would force a smile to cross his lips as he would lift his gaze to the very amused looking Orochimaru. "If that's what you wish, then that is what I will do."

As much as he hated the idea of doing anything to Tsunade after all of the pain and suffering she had already been forced to endure, it became easier to stomach after he would think of his beloved nephew. The thought of the child that had once loved him so much was enough to ease the guilt as he thought of that boy living a happy and healthy life, even as Akira was forced to do despicable things to ensure his safety.

Anything for him.

* * *

It would be a little over two weeks later when they would finally return to the village with a blonde woman who honestly did not look like she was anywhere near the age he expected her to be. Nevertheless, she was able to heal both Sasuke and Ryosuke with almost no effort and the last he heard she had found a way to perform a surgery to help Rock Lee regain his ability to be a shinobi again, even finding a way to increase his chances of survival from the very risky surgery. It was something that truly impressed the illusionist as he realized that the woman truly was an expert in her field.

It seemed as though he was not the only one who was impressed either.

Yuna had been over the moon since the very moment the woman had walked through the gates of the village, though, she had been much too shy to do anything other than admire the woman and her apprentice from afar. It was something that amused Yuuki greatly up until the day that he would receive a summon to the Hokage's office. It was with a sigh that he would find himself standing in the room with Shikamaru, Akio, and Haku. He would attempt to smile at his teammate only for the Koyabashi boy to quickly avert his gaze towards the Hokage's desk. "You're late. We've been waiting for you to get here. You should learn to be more punctual that way you do not waste anyone's time."

Asshole.

He would smile sweetly at Akio his brow twitching slightly as he would resist the urge to gift him a very specific sign with a very specific finger before the clearing of a throat would have the illusionist turn his attention to the amused woman who sat behind her desk.

"I am sure you guys are wondering why I have asked you here. To be honest, I do not really understand why myself. It seems as though there were opinions that with the final portion of the exam being canceled because of the attack that no one should pass this time around. But I hear that the late Third Hokage praised each and every single one of your matches and he intended to recommend all four of you to become Chunin. An opinion which was shared by the lords as well as the proctors who saw the matches you four participated in. In any case, it's not my place to say anything about this other than strive to perform in a manner that is worthy of your headbands and congratulations. As of today, you four are now Chunin." Yuuki would blink a few times in surprise before he would sigh softly, slightly depressed that Yuna had been the only one on their team to not get promoted.

This sucked.

* * *

As they were released, he would begin making his way to the hospital with the intent to see Ryosuke who had asked him to stop by and visit him once he was done speaking with the Hokage, his brow furrowing when he heard the footsteps behind him and as his gaze would turn to meet the icy gaze of his teammate he would simply roll his eyes before continuing on. "It took all I had not to say something about your boyfriend's role in all of this." He would fall silent as he listened to Akio's words as the boy moved to keep pace with him. "Here is my very own teammate being promoted alongside me and instead of enjoying the moment I'm too busy being focused on the fact that he's with a traitor and he's keeping him from facing justice for his role in the third's murder."

"That sounds like a personal problem." Yuuki would drawl as those midnight blues would turn to face his teammate before narrowing. "Instead of being so quick to judge and condemn someone why don't you stop and think for one moment that Gaara and his siblings were following orders from who they thought was their father. Turns out Orochimaru killed him and impersonated him to start a war with us." He would take in Akio's stunned expression before smirking darkly. "Me holding them guilty for something that was out of their control would be like people holding you guilty for the things your uncle did. Oh wait, they do. Doesn't feel good, does it? Maybe instead of being so quick to condemn others you should expand your view and try putting yourself on the other person's side for once."

"Yuuki-"

"I'm done with you for now. Don't try approaching me again unless you decide to stop being such an asshole. You're starting to remind me of Sasuke and the village is not big enough for two of him." He would then body flicker away from the boy, getting as far away from him as possible before he would end up losing what little patience he had left and decided to either throw a punch or trap the asshole in a genjutsu long enough for him to dump him in the women's changing room at the hot springs.

Or both, both was always good.

He would make his way to Ryosuke's hospital room before sighing and adjusting the chunin vest he had been forced to wear before taking a deep breath and entering the room only to find that he was not alone. Sakura, Naruto, and Kakashi would all turn to face him along with Ryosuke whose eyes widened the moment that he saw the vest on him before he would grin wildly. "Congratulations Yuuki! I had been hoping that they would decide to promote at least a few of you despite everything! Was there anyone else who got promoted or was it just you?" His cheeks would darken once he heard the praise, the illusionist rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment as Naruto would immediately start to freak out over his promotion before demanding to hear who else had gotten promoted, only to get smacked by Sakura who would demand for him to shut up so Yuuki could actually speak.

"Well, there was only four of us that got promoted this time around. It was myself, Akio, Haku, and that Shikamaru guy. The Hokage told us that the late Third along with the lords and proctors were all so impressed that they were going to recommend the four of us for promotion anyway. I'm just kind of bothered that Yuna didn't make it along with the both of us. I think she did a wonderful job during her match. I can't see why they would not promote her." That was enough to make the room fall silent for a moment before his sensei's voice would fill the air.

"Sometimes the reasons for things aren't clear at first but as long as we continue to follow our path and don't give up, things have a funny way of working out. Maybe it is better if I train her a bit longer so we can get her ready for the next exam." Yuuki would simply gift his sensei a weak smile before he would gasp as Naruto would yank him out of the room by his vest. "Come on! We've gotta go show Sasuke! He's going to be so jealous that you got promoted while he's stuck with us for another year!" Sakura would follow both of them while clinging to a bag of apples and as they would approach Sasuke's room and he was shoved inside the room his gaze would narrow as he could immediately sense that something was wrong with Sasuke.

This did not bode well.

"Oi! Sasuke! Look at what Yuuki has!" Those dark eyes would move to look at the illusionist before narrowing when he saw the vest on Yuuki's body. "Yuuki was promoted to Chunin! Only four people were promoted and he was one of them! Akio, Haku, and Shikamaru got promoted too which kind of ticks me off if I'm being honest but it's so cool that two of our teammates got a promotion too!" He would continue to ramble on as Sakura would start peeling the apple for Sasuke to eat before she would even go as far as to cut it for him. before offering it to Sasuke with a smile only for the asshole to smack the plate out of her hands.

"You know you and Akio are both starting to piss me off. I don't know what the hell your problem is Sasuke but you had better fix your attitude before you really make me angry." He would glare at the black haired boy who would return his glare before focusing his attention on Naruto as he demanded a fight from both of them. "I don't think so. I am not about to waste my energy or chakra on you right now. You're being a dick so count me out. Go ask Akio. Or even better ask Haku so I can watch him kick your ass." Yuuki would sneer at him before sighing as Naruto would immediately cave into Sasuke's demands.

That right there was the reason why Sasuke was a dick.

People gave into his demands much too easily and as a result, he was nothing more than a spoiled brat with a shitty attitude.

"I wonder if it's too late for me to tell Gaara that I changed my mind. I'm starting to like the sound of going back to Suna more and more as time goes on." Sakura would try to break them up only for Yuuki to rest a hand on her shoulder which caused her to turn her attention to him. "There's no use getting involved right now. They're too stupid to listen to reason right now so don't waste your breath. Oh and for what it's worth, those apples looked delicious. I would have eaten them in a heartbeat if you would have made them for me." He would gift the pinkette a small smile which was returned by a weak one from Sakura before he would offer her his arm, smiling as she would take it. "Now let's go make sure these fools don't kill each other, okay?"

"O-Okay!"

* * *

They would make it up to the roof on the hospital just in time to listen to those two talk crap to one another before they would essentially start beating the crap out of one another both of them being on exactly the same level before they would take things too far. As Naruto would pull out some strange jutsu that he had never seen before and as Sasuke would pull out the Chidori, Yuuki would sigh before immediately deciding that things had gone on for far too long and as he heard Sakura's words, he would smile weakly at her before sighing as his gaze would narrow before he would body flicker behind Naruto yanking him back by his jacket and spinning him before using the momentum to send him flying towards one of the water storage units, watching as Kakashi would do the same to Sasuke.

They had managed to stop the idiots.

"Well done Yuuki. You acted quickly and effectively, they were right to promote you." He would then turn to scold Naruto and Sasuke before asking Sasuke if he had the intention to kill Naruto. Apparently, the size of the Chidori that Sasuke had used was never the size of something that should be used against a comrade. It was something that made Yuuki's gaze narrow before he would speak.

"If you both are going to act this stupid then do me a favor and go deal with Akio for me. Maybe you three could knock the stupidity out of each other." He would watch as Sasuke would simply leave before a sigh would be ripped from him, the illusionist looking much more tired all of a sudden as he would fix Naruto with a disappointed look on his face before turning to Kakashi. "I don't know how you deal with this crap sensei. I'd have killed them. Akio and I might have had our problems but I can say that at least we haven't done anything this stupid yet." He would notice that Sakura had been crying and immediately his gaze would soften as he would look at the crying girl before he would move to pull her into a hug, something that tore a surprised gasp from her.

"Hey. None of that now. Everything's okay. We managed to stop these two idiots before they managed to hurt each other so everything's fine. No more tears okay?" He would do his best to comfort the pink haired girl as she would cry onto him, ignoring the feeling of tears soaking into his new vest as he would smile warmly at her when she would finally manage to calm herself down a few moments later. "Come on. Let's go get some anmitsu. My treat alright? Will that help you feel better?" The girl would nod and with one final look at the last two members of Team Seven, he would lead the poor girl away with a sigh, shaking his head slightly with disappointment.

Team Seven had even more problems than he and Akio did.

He almost felt bad for them.


	18. Chapter 18

Midnight blues would remain locked on the poor girl across from him as she tried her best to focus on her dessert despite what had happened only moments before, for a moment he was left wondering if there was something truly wrong with him for feeling nothing more than annoyance towards the two boys who were meant to be an extension of Team One. While he understood that he and Akio were not always the best to each other he also knew that neither of them would willingly try to butcher each other the way that Naruto and Sasuke both had.

Especially not in front of Yuna.

"Yuuki." His gaze would lift from his cup of tea to meet the shy mint gaze of the girl sitting across from him before she would speak again. "There's something that I have to say to you. When we first met, I thought that you were just a flirt who did not take your role as a ninja seriously and I looked down on you because of it." Yuuki's gaze would never leave the pinkette's before she would lower hers, seemingly embarrassed before she would speak again.

"I ignored you when Sasuke and Akio chose to ignore you simply because you chose to protect the person that you love from them and that was wrong of me. You have done nothing to deserve the way that I've treated you. You even stopped Sasuke and Naruto along with Kakashi-sensei and if that wasn't enough you comforted me and you even brought me to get my favorite dessert which I've only mentioned to you once in passing." Her hand would move to tuck a stray piece of pink hair behind her ear before she would turn her attention back to him as she would gift him a small smile.

"I don't deserve your kindness Yuuki. I know that much. I used to think that Yuna and Akio were the only worthwhile members on your team but I was wrong. I promise that I will never look down on you again just like I promise that one day, I will catch up to you. There will come a day when I will repay your kindness to me. Watch over me until then, okay?"

For a moment, Yuuki would only sit there stunned into silence before his gaze would soften and he would gift the pinkette a small smile. "I always knew that you would become something great once you decided to start focusing on yourself instead of chasing after Sasuke but to think that you have already matured this much is something else." He would chuckle softly as he saw the surprised look on her face before continuing on.

"You do not have to apologize to me because you weren't wrong. I am a flirt and I did not take being a ninja seriously until I saw Gaara again and saw what this world had done to him. You always hear Naruto speaking about dreams and Sasuke speaking about revenge. But I never understood what they were talking about until I saw Gaara again."

Gaara had become his dream.

"You have a dream now Yuuki?"

"My dream is to protect Gaara from this horrible world. I never want to see him like he was ever again. I will become whatever it is that he wants me to be and I will love him with all of the love my heart has to offer. I will make him happy and I will protect him from his pain until death tears me away from his side. He says that he needs me and after seeing what he became without me by his side, I started to believe it. I will never leave him again. Not if I can help it." Gaara deserved to be loved more than anyone else in the world.

If he wanted Yuuki to be the person to give him that love, then so be it.

He would love him with everything he had.

* * *

A sigh would leave the tanned male as he would make his way through the halls of the hideout, alone for once as his fingers gripped tightly onto the scroll that Orochimaru had sent with a maid asking for his presence. Ever since he had been forced to fight against Tsunade, Jiraiya and the other two that had been with them he had been less than pleased with his lover. Not only was it now known that he was working with Orochimaru but now he had completely ruined any chance of him asking Tsunade or Jiraiya to watch over Akio for him in his absence. The bastard had the other two convinced that he was a blind fanatic who followed each and every word that he said blindly.

He had burned any potential bridge he had left in an attempt to completely isolate him from those who might still be able to help free him from the situation he was in and if he was to be completely honest, he was about a moment's notice away from trying to suffocate the bastard in his sleep. To make matters worse, he had taken to requesting Akira's presence each and every single night and while he was fortunate enough that the man could not actually touch him and was in too much pain to demand any sort of pleasure from Akira, it did not stop him from gloating to Akira that he had him trapped there with him for the rest of his foreseeable future.

He really wanted to kill Orochimaru.

His mind would be shaken from that thought as he would reach the older man's room before sighing once again as he would enter the room, gaze lowered to the floor as he would make his way inside. "You called for me Orochimaru?" His gaze would fall upon the other six people in the room before his brow would furrow slightly in confusion as his gaze would turn back to Orochimaru in question. "Why are the sound four here? What exactly is going on Orochimaru?"

"My Akira. I'm so glad to see you have finally come to join us. I was half worried that you would either choose to ignore my note or that you would try to run away after what happened in Tanzaku town. It seems as though you truly do love me after all." The brunette's gaze would narrow slightly before he would gift the snake a warm smile, eyes falling closed in order to hide just how angry he was. "I have a special errand that I need you to do for me. One that requires your charisma and your special touch. If you are able to complete your task, I will reward you by giving you more freedom and you have my word I will never use Akio against you ever again."

The promise was immediately enough to capture his attention as those golden eyes would widen slightly before he would gift a shaky sort of sigh, trying his best to reign in his emotions in front of the sanin and his four loyal fools. "What exactly do you need me to do?" He would ask the older man quietly before silently praying that the man was not toying with him. For a moment that golden gaze would narrow slightly as he would meet Orochimaru's amused stare, the Koyabashi male growing anxious as time passed on with only silence greeting him as a response. For a moment, he feared that he might send him after someone that he had once been friends with only for his fears to immediately cease a moment later when he would finally speak.

"Fear not for this is about Sasuke. I need you to convince Sasuke to come to me. Use those pretty words of yours and weave a lie convincing enough to get him to come to me of his own will. Do this for me and consider your nephew safe from me. Consider yourself having earned the freedom I know you long for." Those promises would dance around the depths of his mind, taunting and tempting him with the things he had always desired the most. To be free and to never once again have to worry about Orochimaru setting his sights on his nephew in exchange for one child?

Nevermind the fact that the very thought of luring a child to the man before him was enough to make a bitter taste well up in his mouth.

It was what he had always wanted.

"I will do as you asked in exchange for what you've promised me." He would speak softly before his gaze would harden as he met the snakelike eyes of the man he had once loved. "Though I will warn you right now if you try to deceive me or trick me in any way I will kill the Uchiha boy." He would smirk as the look on Orochimaru's face would darken at the promise he made before leaning forward. "Or I will leave you and get Akio and let it be known that if I do escape, you will never find me again." Even if it meant spending the rest of his life looking over his shoulder, he would not allow Orochimaru to lie to him and reap the benefits of having him by his side to rub it in his face.

Once Orochimaru finally broke a promise to him, there was no going back.

"So eager to leave me. Are you that unhappy with me Akira?" Those golden eyes would fall closed after a moment as a sickly sweet smile would form across those lips. "I suppose it does not matter. Since you have accepted my request after all. Get ready to leave at sunset. These four will be your escorts to the Hidden Leaf and they will protect you in case anything goes wrong." His gaze would slowly turn to run over the four in question, eyeing them with a critical eye before sighing softly.

They would have to do.

Or rather, he would have to make do with what he was given yet again.

* * *

Yuuki's eyes would fall closed the very moment that he found himself alone, chakra switching to sensory mode as he tried his best to find Sasuke's chakra signature through the crowds of people that were currently wandering out and about through the Hidden Leaf. His brow would furrow in frustration before finally finding it a moment later and then he was off, focusing only on that signature as he was determined to find and talk sense into that idiot if it was the last thing he did. It would be a few moments later that he found himself at the base of a large tree, eyes narrowing as he would quickly make his way up it only to find that Sasuke was not alone.

Kakashi had beat him to the punch.

It seemed as though Kakashi had tied him to the tree with metal wires so he could not run away and as Kakashi would speak to Sasuke about giving up his goal of revenge, Yuuki would listen silently. He would tell him that in his career that he had seen a lot of people that had been exactly like Sasuke and all of them had met an unpleasant end. He would tell him that even if he did get his revenge, the only thing he would have after everything was said and done would be emptiness.

Sasuke did not like hearing that.

He would tell him to shut up before asking what he knew and asking him what the hell he knew and as Kakashi would tell him to calm down he would only get angrier. He would then smirk darkly before telling him if he liked, he would go and kill the most important person to him so he could realize just how far off he was on telling Sasuke not to chase after his dreams of revenge and it was then that Kakashi would speak.

"If you have it in you to try and kill the sensei of the three people who have done all they can to try and help you then go ahead. But know this, even if by some miracle you did manage to kill Ryosuke-" Both Yuuki and Sasuke's eyes would widen upon hearing that name leave Kakashi's lips in an admission that he did care for the black-haired jonin. "-you would not only have me after you. Do you have it in you to fight Akio, I wonder? Or even Yuuki and Yuna since I'm sure they would be right there with him to avenge their sensei." Sasuke would fall silent as his glare would darken before Kakashi would continue to speak.

"If you decide to try and kill someone else, well I would not mind since I do not have any other person who is that important to me. Everyone else has been killed." Sasuke's dark expression would immediately change into one of complete surprise. "I have lived longer than you have and the times were not good. I know all too well the agony of losing something." Sasuke would look down in something akin to shame before Kakashi would speak again. "You and I are not the lucky ones, that's for damn sure. But we aren't the worst ones either. You and I, we have already found dear comrades to us, haven't we? Open your heart to them Sasuke. It won't completely take away the pain but it will help ease it and make it more bearable. The Chidori is a power that I gave to you because you now have something important to protect. You should know that it's not to be used on your comrades or as a tool for revenge and I'm sure you know what it is to be used for. Think hard about whether I am saying is true or not."

Kakashi would then body flicker away leaving the two of them alone and for the longest of moments, he would watch as Sasuke would simply sit there looking down at the branch that he was sitting on before he would simply shake his head and would do as Kakashi had done, leaving the boy alone. He did not know what was going through Sasuke's mind at the moment but after hearing what Kakashi had said he knew that his presence would only serve to aggravate the boy. At this point, he would only cause more harm than good and he knew it was probably for the best if he was to step aside this time and let fate do as it pleased.

He only hoped that Kakashi's words were capable of knocking some sense into the idiotic boy.

* * *

The moment that he would return home from his impromptu trip around Konoha he was surprised to find that he was not alone, eyes widening as they met the golden eyes of his sheepishly smiling sensei who was leaning a bit too heavily against the wall, along with the two gazes of his teammates, though his attention was more focused on their sensei. It seemed as though his body had still not completely recovered and at the revelation, his eyes would narrow slightly.

"Does Kakashi-sensei know that you're up and about? Last I heard you were supposed to be taking it easy and relaxing at home." The nervous chuckle that left his sensei's form was enough to confirm his suspicions and he would gift his sensei with a completely unimpressed look before turning his gaze to Yuna. "You of all people should know better than to encourage him. I'm one minute away from tracking Kakashi-sensei and bringing him over here so he can scold the both of you-"

"If anyone deserves to be yelled at, it's me since I put the both of them up to this." His gaze would narrow even further as Akio would step forward, mouth opening to scold the idiot in front of him only to fall silent as the black-haired boy would speak. "I know that you're angry with me and honestly, you have every right to be with how I have treated you. I am always the one that preaches about us working together as a team and yet, I was the first to turn against you and turn my back on you when you went against what I wanted you to do. I am supposed to be the leader of our team and I never once took into consideration what it was you were going through with Gaara."

A scoff would leave Yuuki as irritation welled up within him simply from hearing his teammate speak Gaara's name after everything he had said about him and yet, even so, he would remain silent as he would allow his teammate to plead his case. "I do not know what it is to love someone the way that you love him. I have always been on my own with just Akira until he left and then I was lucky enough to be placed with the both of you and while I do love you guys, it is not the same. I have spent my whole life trying to prove my loyalty to the village because of what Akira did and for you two to both be so willing to betray the village for the sake of one person. I could not understand it."

"The village has never been my home. It has been a temporary solution for me for as long as I can remember. It only ever became something more than that when I met you and Yuna, but even Yuna feels the same way that I do. These villages mean nothing to us. It is the people inside of it that hold the true meaning to us. Naruto, Yuna, Ryosuke, Kakashi and even you, Sasuke and Haku. You are all the things that make living in this horrible village bearable. Even so, I will not remain in this village forever."

His words were enough to make the other three members of Team One fall silent as the air grew tense between the four of them.

"My mother and father died as a result of a supposed C-rank mission gone wrong. That was the explanation given to me and I know they were lying through their teeth. My only reason for staying is to grow strong enough to protect Gaara properly and to find out what truly happened to my parents. Once I have accomplished those two things, I will abandon this hopeless place to return to Suna for him." He would notice Akio's eyes darken slightly at the mention of him returning to Sunagakure and abandoning their team before listening to his words as they came out before he could stop them.

"You would abandon us for him? You would abandon all of our memories together and everything we all mean to each other for one person?" A slow smirk would form across the purple-haired boy's lips before he would speak softly, eyes never once leaving Akio's as the words left his lips.

"I would in a heartbeat. If Gaara would have insisted I returned to Sunagakure with him the last time I had seen him I would have abandoned the village even sooner because he will always come first. He is my reason for remaining alive Akio. He is my purpose. Please try to understand me. If you cannot sympathize then let this be the last time we meet as a team. Harden your heart towards me and let us now be known as enemies, if that is what it takes for you to find peace." He would watch as Akio would step forward, eyes narrowing as he would not meet his gaze, body ready to defend himself from the Koyabashi heir if need be only for his body to tense as he was brought into a tight embrace.

"You're a fool. For someone who is supposedly so smart, you make the most foolish decisions and say the most foolish things sometimes." Those words were spoken in his ear softly as that hold on the illusionist would tighten. "You're also oblivious. You cannot see the things that are right in front of you. I've turned my back on you once but you also opened my mind and helped me see things from your perspective. I...do not support your decision. I also believe that your priorities are messed up but I will not turn my back on you. Not again. I may not agree with everything you do or everything you choose, but I will have to learn to deal with that and take it in stride. That is what a leader is for, isn't it?"

He had learned his lesson.

Yuuki would remain standing there for the longest of moments, stunned by the hug from the teammate that he had honestly prepared himself to write off for good as someone who would never be able to relate to him. For a moment he would even feel traces of guilt as they welled up within his chest before he would move to return the embrace. "I suppose so, stupid Akio." His gaze would lift to meet the other two ninja's and he would gift them both a small smile, silently thanking them for their part in this.

He owed them a great deal, it seemed.

"Now that we've gotten this all settled perhaps we should celebrate? We have not had dinner together as a team in way too long. It is a bit late, but maybe I can make something fast." Yuna would muse quietly, causing the two to break their embrace and smile at their female teammate.

"Nonsense Yuna. You shouldn't have to cook anything this late. Besides, we still have not had a chance to celebrate Yuuki and Akio's promotion to Chunin. We'll go out to eat together, my treat." Ryosuke would smile brightly, golden eyes dancing with mirth at seeing the two boys he loved like his own children finally getting along again. "We can even invite the members of Team Seven as well as Haku, make it one big family gathering." The moment that Team seven was mentioned, Yuuki's smile would fall off of his face as he would fix his team with a serious look, something that made them all fall silent.

"About that, something happened earlier. You guys aren't going to like this but..."

* * *

"I can't believe that Sasuke would do something like that to Naruto of all people." Akio would all but hiss as he followed after Yuuki, the later doing his best to sort out Sasuke's chakra signature once again as his brow would furrow. "You would think that he would know better than to use such a deadly attack on a comrade of all people. I can't believe how stupid he was being!" That was enough to make the purple haired boy scoff once again before he would finally manage to trace him, immediately taking off as Akio would follow after him.

"He's changing Akio. He almost got the both of us killed by his older brother a few weeks ago. He's becoming blinded by his hatred and I'm starting to worry that he may be too far gone for anyone to be able to help him. The only ones left who have any chance of helping him are you and Naruto and to be frank, I've lost some of the hope I previously had in him after seeing him stoop to Sasuke's level. I only wish that you would have met him a lot sooner, maybe there would have been a better chance of you getting through to him if you guys had grown up together but it's no use thinking of what-ifs at this point." The two of them would scale up a tree as they got even closer to Sasuke, Yuuki's blood running cold as he quickly noticed that he was not alone.

There were five other chakra signatures with Sasuke and they did not feel familiar to him.

On top of that, they felt hostile as well.

"Akio he's not alone. There are five others with him and I do not recognize any of their signatures, only that they feel hostile. We need to get closer without them sensing us and we need to see who they are." Akio would nod silently and they would both weave the signs to use the transparent escape technique before moving in, settling on the branch of the tree directly next to the tree that Sasuke was on, his eyes widening as he saw four ninjas who were wearing the same ugly outfit that Orochimaru had been wearing during the Chunin exams along with another person who looked like he did not belong with them, a person who stood directly in front of Sasuke.

Who the hell were they?

Sasuke had the same question and as the four ninjas introduced themselves as being sound ninja his eyes would narrow, gaze falling to Akio only to find him gripping onto the bark of the tree tightly as his icy gaze remained focused on the man standing in the dead center of the group with a look of disbelief before his eyes would narrow darkly with the same look that Sasuke had given his brother all those weeks prior.

'Oh shit.' His eyes would widen as the bells would go off in his head once again and immediately his blood would run cold as he would release a shaky sigh, all the while cursing in the very back of his mind as he already knew that this was not going to end well for them or for Sasuke.

That man was Akio's uncle.

He was starting to really hate Team Seven's ability to draw trouble to them no matter the situation. It was tiresome to deal with and at the rate they were going at, he wasn't going to live long enough to keep his promise to Gaara.

This really sucked.

* * *

"I am Akira Koyabashi. I am sure you have heard of me from my beloved nephew Akio? Last I heard, you seem to be very close to him Sasuke-kun. I'm so very pleased to meet one of his friends." The golden-eyed man would all but purr as he would gift the Uchiha male a sweet smile, ignoring the way those eyes narrowed as he mentioned his nephew. He would watch as the chosen four from the Sound Village would immediately rush into action, those eyes narrowing before he would call out in a firm tone.

"Stop this at once or I will speak to Orochimaru about you four interfering with the task he gave to me." That was enough to get them to immediately stop, though he could sense the displeasure that was radiating from each of the savage ninjas in waves, the tanned male rolling his eyes before turning his attention back to Sasuke, who seemed very unamused. "I apologize for them. They've always been a bit too eager to spill blood, even when it isn't needed I'm afraid. I am simply here to speak with you and perhaps if I am lucky, I will be able to convince you to come and join our little village?"

"I have no interest in joining the Hidden Sound. Or listening to a traitor like you now get lost." Sasuke would scowl darkly at the golden-eyed man who would simply smile before speaking softly.

"Not even if joining us would grant you the power needed to rid the world of your brother? I knew Itachi very well Sasuke and I can tell you right now that all you are doing here is wasting your time. You will never be able to gain the power needed to take your revenge if you keep wasting your time playing genin here. With each and every single passing day, your brother grows stronger and stronger. You will never catch up to him if you stay here. There is not a ninja in this village that can even come close to matching Itachi's power."

"What do you know?! All you are is a traitor who turned his back on everyone and everything he should have been protecting. What could you possibly know about power?" Sasuke would all but yell at him as his body tensed, glaring at the Koyabashi man as though he was the source of all of his conflict.

"Why do you think I left? Remember I was once the bodyguard to the late third and fourth Hokages. I could have very easily remained in the village with my nephew and lived a comfortable life but let me tell you something. In these times of peace, no ninja will ever truly become powerful. The elders fear power and do whatever it is they can to contain and try to control it. If you don't believe me, why don't we test your power? I would rather not resort to fighting a child, however, I will let you choose. You can fight me or you can take on the Sound Four. It is your choice Sasuke." He did not miss the dark look of curiosity that he was fixated with before he would scoff and glare at the four ninjas that stood on either side of him.

"You can't be all that tough even if you were a bodyguard to the Hokage. If I have to play this stupid game, I want a challenge. Give me those four so I can prove to you that I don't need any help. Not from you or from that bastard who left me with this mark." Akira would simply sigh before gifting him an amused look, almost as though he were a child who was trying to act tough which only made his blood boil even further before he would speak.

"Very well then. You heard him you four. But be gentle, we don't want to rough him up too badly before he makes his decision." Akira would step back as the four would immediately begin to move again, Kidōmaru appearing a moment later before charging at Sasuke only for the boy to jump, using his back as leverage to aim a kick at Sakon which sent him flying into a tree. It was then that he would flip Kidōmaru and Jirōbō before sending them flying into Tayuya and Sakon only for it to be revealed that they had used the substitution jutsu, the four of them standing behind Akira as they smirked at him.

It was then that Sasuke would reveal that he was in a bad mood and that if they continued to tempt him he would no longer go easy on them, something that made Akira sigh softly as his gaze would fall onto a smirking Sakon. "End this quickly. We've spent too much time here in the village." It was then that Sakon would smirk before motioning for Sasuke to come to him and as Sasuke would charge at him, he would jump before attempting to attack him only to get caught by Sasuke's wire that he had somehow managed to wrap around his legs, trapping him.

Then Sakon managed to attack him and as the sound four started to toss Sasuke around he would simply sigh before his eyes would widen a second later as a large burst of flame would shoot towards Sakon and Jirōbō, a sigh of relief leaving him as both of them managed to avoid the attack only for a burst of lightning to come shooting out of nowhere in an attempt to hit both Tayuya and Kidōmaru and for a moment his gaze would dart around, trying to find where the attack was coming from before his gaze would narrow as he would manage to dodge a kunai that was tossed directly at him, a smirk coming across his lips when his gaze would fall on the one person he had hoped he would not come across.

It seemed as though fate wanted him to meet with his cute little nephew after all.

He even brought another friend.

* * *

"Stay out of this you two!" Yuuki and Akio would look at one another before turning their gazes back to Sasuke with a roll of their eyes. Yuuki was getting tired of Sasuke's attitude after all the stupid younger boy had put him through in the last month and it seemed as though Akio was getting annoyed too, something that greatly amused the Saito even as he tried his best to hide his amusement as he looked down at Sasuke.

"You know most people would be grateful when their friends come to save their asses during a difficult situation. You have to be the only one I have ever heard complain you ungrateful little shit." Yuuki would drawl lazily before his gaze would narrow as he saw the remaining members of the Sound Four turn their attention to them while Sasuke would busy himself with Sakon and as the four would move to attack them, Akira would immediately call out. "Don't. We are here for Sasuke and Sasuke only. Hurting these two would only draw unnecessary attention to ourselves. Besides, Sakon has already finished with Sasuke."

It was then that Sakon would appear while holding Sasuke upside down, smirking at him while calling Sasuke weak. "Remember what I told you Sasuke. You will never grow as long as you stay here. To find true power, come and seek us out." That golden-gaze would remain locked on his nephew who began trembling with rage, icy eyes narrowed as he watched Akira whisper something to Sasuke that made his eyes widen before he would smirk at them once again.

"Now Sakon. I do believe these two came here for their friend. Return Sasuke to them so they can enjoy what time they have left together." The white-haired man would smirk at the two chunin before carelessly throwing Sasuke at them, all of them body flickering away as the two would scramble to catch him and as they were left alone, Yuuki would immediately speak up.

"I don't know what is going through that mind of yours Sasuke but so help me if you're planning on going to Orochimaru after everything we did to try and keep you safe and away from him I will do everything in my power to kick your ass and knock some sense into that stupid head of yours! You're even more foolish than Akio is if you're considering turning to him!" Sasuke would remain silent despite his words and he would turn to Akio in exasperation, gesturing to the Uchiha before hissing darkly.

"He's your friend. Talk some sense into him now!"

"Sasuke, please listen. This path that you are on will only lead you to tragedy. Do not do this because you will only regret it. Revenge will get you nowhere in life and in the end, you will only end up making enemies of the people who only want the best for you. Akira does not know what he is talking about, he got as strong as he is because of the village. He knows everything he knows because of his sensei and the late Fourth. Do not disgrace the village the way that he did." It was then that Sasuke would look up with a glare so dark that it would make the boy's blood both run cold.

"You know nothing Yuuki. How could you ever hope to try and understand me when all you ever had was your parents who died during a mission that any decent ninja should have been able to easily complete. Your only friend, the person who you say is your reason for living is a monster who played a part in trying to destroy the village that you are trying so hard to convince me to stay in. You are nothing more than a pathetic hypocrite because even I know that your loyalties do not lay within this village. One day you will betray everyone the same way that I am going to. The only difference between the two of us is who we will be turning to when we do-"

His eyes would widen as a fist was sent flying towards Sasuke, managing to hit him in the face, causing the Uchiha boy to stumble back a bit as Akio would glare at him, those icy eyes narrowing in anger before he would speak in a surprisingly calm voice. "Yuuki is not a traitor. I was wrong to call him that before and I won't let you do it after everything Yuuki did to try and help you when Naruto was attacked by your brother. Do not belittle him Sasuke because that is not okay and I won't let anyone, not even you get away with making the same mistake I did."

It was then that Sasuke would speak, this time to Akio as he glared at him while rubbing his swollen cheek. "I would have thought that if anyone could understand me, it would be you Akio. You have lost everything, the same as I have. Why would you try and stop me when of all people, you should be the one who relates to me the most? He took everything from me on that night Akio. The same way that your uncle took everything from you. You were isolated and made to suffer because of what he did. Don't you at least want to see what it was about Orochimaru that made your uncle abandon everything? Come with me. You are just as strong as I am and together, the two of us could be unstoppable."

The silence that greeted him was unsettling for Yuuki as his body would tense, gaze shooting over to Akio with a look of complete disbelief that he even seemed to be considering such a horrible offer. Then Akio would simply sigh and would offer Sasuke such a sad smile that he would immediately sigh in relief. "You really are too far gone to be convinced. It is sad and I had hoped for a different outcome to everything but, it seems as though I can no longer reach you if I ever could, to begin with. I do not want to fight you Sasuke. I know that Yuuki does not want to fight you either so we will let you go. Leave and get as far away as you can from here. Just know that the next time we meet, it will be as enemies and I will not hold back even for your sake."

"Akio there's no-"

"You heard what he said Sasuke. He's not going with you. He won't fall to your level no matter what you say. So back off. We've said what we needed to say to you. Just know that if we're asked to come and get you, you had better be prepared to get your ass kicked by the three of us." He would watch as Sasuke would simply stare at Akio for the longest of moments, something stirring in those dark eyes of his before they would narrow as he would scoff silently before disappearing from their sight.

"Yuuki. What are we going to do?"

"I don't know. I always knew he was stupid but I never dreamt that he would be this stupid. All we can do is hope that we don't get called to hunt him down because if we do, we're going to have to fight him as if we were fighting an enemy and I don't know if I can handle that."

No matter how he looked at this, it was going to end badly for someone.

And he didn't know how he was supposed to feel about that this time around.


	19. Chapter 19

Midnight blues would gaze dully at the breakfast that Yuna had cooked for him, a sigh leaving him as he found that he had absolutely no appetite after everything that had happened the night before and a curious glance at Akio had shown him that even he could not bring himself to eat anything. The air between the three of them had been tense ever since the night before when they had returned from dealing with Sasuke. As it turned out Yuna had had no luck with trying to convince Naruto and Sakura to eat with them and Ryosuke had been unable to find Kakashi, something that seriously surprised Yuuki.

Where was everyone when he needed them the most?

"You two are acting strangely. Is everything okay?" Yuuki's gaze would lift to meet none other than the warm brown of Haku's who had been observing the both of them closely ever since he had arrived for breakfast with Yuna and for a moment he would allow his gaze to fall to Akio, brow rising in question as he silently asked if he should tell the two of them what had happened with Sasuke and as he was gifted with a small nod of Akio's head he would sigh softly, ready to tell them everything that had happened only to be interrupted as there was a sudden pounding on his door.

Who in the hell would be bothering him this early when all of his teammates were already here?

He would rise to answer his door with an irritated sigh, blinking in shock when he was greeted with none other than Shikamaru who would look at him with an annoyed gaze before speaking. "I'll cut this short. I need you and your team to come with me right now. Sasuke abandoned the village and we've been given a mission to go and retrieve him. I originally wanted all Chunin and Jonin on my team so my first pick was you, Akio, and Haku. Yuna will be useful since she is a medic and a decent one at that."

"You're in luck. They just so happened to be here for breakfast and we were going to train together after we ate so we are ready to go. Is there anyone else you need or is it just going to be the five of us going to get him?" He would watch as Shikamaru would simply sigh as he would rub the back of his neck, an annoyed expression quickly taking over his features before he would speak once again.

"It's troublesome but we need a few more people. The old lady wants me to take Naruto along. I think it would be good if we brought Kiba to help you track Sasuke down. Choji I need since he and I work well together and I think that should be it unless we run into anyone else we can use. For now, gather your team and then meet me at the gates in exactly ten minutes. Don't be late." He would watch as the lazy ninja would wander off before sighing softly as he would turn only to see all of his teammates already standing there with serious expressions on their faces, something that made him smirk slightly.

"Well then. You heard him. Let's clean up and set out."

* * *

They would arrive at the gates exactly at the same time as the others would, Naruto's eyes widening when he saw Yuuki before calling out. "You four are coming along too?! Then there's no way we'll fail! We'll bring him back kicking and screaming if we have to!" Yuuki could not help but smile as his gaze would soften upon hearing Naruto's confidence. While he wasn't as sure as Naruto was about their ability to bring that idiot back to the village after having seen what it was they were likely going to be up against, he also knew that they had no choice but to try their best to change his mind.

Even if he was too far gone, they still had to try.

"Alright everyone, follow me." Naruto would call out, only to be greeted by silence as a response. It was then that Shikamaru would tell him that he was supposed to be the squad leader on this mission with Yuuki, Akio, and Haku following closely behind him in terms of leadership. It was then that Naruto and Kiba would question the fact that Shikamaru had been placed in charge, only for the two of them to be put in their place by Choji who said that they had to follow Shikamaru's orders because Shikamaru was a Chunin.

He would also say that the four of them had been recognized by the village's elders and as a result, the genins should respect their authority as Chunin. Neji would agree with Choji before stating that since there was a chance they would be ambushed, there needed to be a plan ready to which Shikamaru would respond with a smirk as he stated that he already had a plan. They were instructed to follow his orders directly before being warned that if they did not listen to him and decided to move on their own, there was a chance they would all die.

Kiba was to go first with him following close behind him as the sensor and the person who could easily set up and trap an enemy in a genjutsu before they could do any damage to the team. Shikamaru would be after him followed by Naruto and Akio, both of whom were fast and quick to adapt, Akio being placed further back in case a situation arose where he would need to resort to fighting from a distance. Choji would be after Akio, being chosen to act as a heavy hitter who would be able to strike the deciding blow from a distance while the faster ninja tired the threat out.

After Choji it would be Haku who would attack only from a distance as a means of defense. Then would be Yuna who would act as their medic as well as an offensive force if they needed her to be, though she was instructed to not place herself in any danger if she could avoid it. She was to be tailed by Neji who would act as the rear lookout, using his Byakugan to search for any threats.

All in all, they had a very balanced team.

Shikamaru would then speak, stating that while he did not care for Sasuke that he was a Leaf shinobi and as a result, he was willing to put his life on the line for him. He would speak about being responsible for their lives and as a result, he would not be his normal lazy self before asking all of them to let him see their tools and as he thoroughly looked over each and every single piece of equipment that each of them had to make sure none of them would fail them and as he would look over Yuuki's equipment last he would nod in satisfaction before smirking.

"Alright. Let's head out." It was then that a familiar voice would call out for them to wait and as all of them turned around they were greeted by a depressed Sakura. Shikamaru would state that he was not taking her on this mission before also stating that her part in this had ended when she had been unable to convince Sasuke to stay, something that made Yuuki's brow furrow. She would begin to cry after hearing his words before begging Naruto to bring Sasuke back to the village for her, something that made Naruto give her a pained smile and immediately Yuuki's eyes would narrow.

He recognized that smile immediately.

Naruto loved Sakura.

It became even more apparent as he would give her that forced smile before swearing on his life that he would bring Sasuke back for her and that moment his eyes would fall closed as he would sigh deeply, inwardly knowing just how much it must have killed Naruto to promise that to her. Before he could stop himself, a hand would settle on the orange jacket that he wore, gifting a small squeeze to his shoulder and as Naruto would turn to look at him he would be gifted with a look of complete understanding before those lips would fall into a small smile.

While he was still royally pissed at Sasuke for everything that had happened, the blonde fool never ceased to amaze him. He supposed that just this once, despite his indifference towards the leaf village as a whole, he would actually try his hardest to ensure that this mission was a success. Despite his best efforts, the blonde and the pinkette were slowly worming their way into securing a place in his heart that he had long thought been closed off to anyone other than his Team and Gaara.

He supposed he could let them in.

Except for Sasuke, that asshole was cut off for good.

* * *

They would take to the trees, Yuuki's focus turning to the faint remnants of Sasuke's chakra signature that he felt quickly fading away as it got farther and farther away. It would be a moment later that Kiba would remark about smelling blood a short distance away and as Shikamaru was left with the decision to either go and check out the scent of the blood or stay on Sasuke's trail, he would ultimately decide to have the group keep tracking Sasuke. They would continue on for a few more moments only to come to a complete stop as it was revealed that the ninjas they were chasing had managed to set up a perimeter trap that was rigged to go off the moment that they stepped into the range of the trap.

They had no choice but to go around.

They would take to walking along the floor of the forest, Yuuki's focus being torn in two directions as he focused on detecting Sasuke's chakra while also avoiding the traps littered along the forest floor. He would freeze as he heard a shout before turning around to see that Naruto had come close to setting off a potential trap only to be stopped by Shikamaru's Shadow Possession.

They had gotten lucky.

It would be a moment later that Shikamaru would have Neji track the enemy using his Byakugan and as he revealed that they were resting a short distance away, they would immediately start planning on how to trap them and take Sasuke away from them. Yuuki was to trap all of them in a genjutsu while Kiba activated smoke bombs to give them cover just in case they were able to break through Yuuki's genjutsu before they managed to get Sasuke away from them. Then they were to rush in, grab Sasuke and get away from them as quickly as possible while trying their best to avoid actually having to fight them.

It was a good plan, or rather, it would be if everything went right.

As they would move to find the four ninjas, Yuuki's gaze would narrow as he would notice the abundance of spider webs that were there in the forest the closer they got to the ninja when previously, there had been very few of them. He would take a moment to stop, observing the web with a critical eye before sighing as he realized that he could not sense anything off about the webbing.

He was just being paranoid it seemed.

A few moments later they would come across the ninjas finally and Yuuki's gaze would darken as he would see that they were carrying some sort of strange container and as Neji would announce that Sasuke was inside of the casket, Yuuki's blood would run cold for a minute before he would calm himself stating that Sasuke was no good to Orochimaru dead and these four would not simply kill him. Still, there was something that bothered him greatly about this whole thing and once glance at Akio would prove that it seemed to be bothering him too.

Where the hell was Akira?

His thoughts were interrupted as the white-haired ninja would turn before throwing a kunai that was covered in paper bombs at them, the three of them quickly jumping out of the way of the explosion, only to be caught up in the aftershocks of it and falling, landing on their stomachs in front of the four sound ninjas. They would mock the three of them, getting ready to attack before Shikamaru would tell them that they weren't looking to fight and that they were looking to negotiate, only for the man with the extra arms to yank out Naruto and Choji, who he had managed to capture in his threads.

Kiba would then activate the smoke bombs while Shikamaru captured the four ninjas inside of his Shadow Possession jutsu and for a moment it looked as though things would turn out well only for Shikamaru to get hit with shuriken out of nowhere and as he would drop his jutsu to look back to see where the attack had come from, the biggest member of the sound ninjas would manage to trap them in some kind of dome that was made entirely out of rock.

His eyes would close as he would rest his hand against the stone wall, brow furrowing as he could feel the enemy's chakra resonating through the stone before flinching as he felt his own chakra being tugged from his body for a moment before it suddenly stopped a few moments later, a smirk playing across his lips as his eyes would open and he would turn to face Shikamaru. "I told you it was a good idea for us to split up. Yuna, Haku, and Akio just saved us. He was going to drain us of all of our chakra. We need to break out of here by finding the weakest point of this dome and hitting it hard. This guy has enforced the stone here with his chakra. I could feel it when I set my hand on the rock a few moments ago."

"Which means we need to find the place where the chakra is pooled the thinnest." Kiba would smirk as he would immediately start attacking the walls with his taijutsu, stopping and watching as the walls would repair themselves before Neji would activate his Byakugan, eyes observing the rate at which the walls rebuilt themselves before grabbing a kunai and throwing it at the spot that recovered the slowest. Shikamaru would then ask Choji to break down the wall for them which Choji would do in a matter of seconds and as they were freed, they would watch as three remaining members of their team fought against the man only for them to get knocked back to where they stood.

"You guys figured it out quickly." Haku would muse as his brown eyes remained focused on the form of the large man in front of them. "We saw him starting to do something to the dome and we decided to jump in and act. We were worried that he might have been trying to suffocate or crush you all. It was a good idea to separate into two different groups or we all would have been trapped." He would muse before turning his attention back to the large man as he started clapping, telling them that they had done well for a bunch of losers.

That was all it took to set off Kiba and Naruto, who both attempted to charge at the man only to be yanked back by the back of their jackets, Yuuki scowling down at the both of them as his gaze would narrow in irritation. "We just broke free of him and you two are already charging in for more? Knock it off and think for a moment!" They would simply ignore his advice before managing to free themselves from his grasp and almost immediately they were sent flying back as the big guy knocked them around before mocking them.

Then he would try to trap all of them in his dome again only for Choji to jump in and protect the rest of him from his attack and as they would retreat, Shikamaru would state that it would be for the best if they were to split up into two different teams, one team would take on this guy while the rest would stop Sasuke. "Yuuki, Naruto and I will stay here to fight him. Akio, and Haku, you two are in charge. Take the others and find Sasuke." It was then that the sound ninja would use an attack to clear the trees, laughing as he found them all standing there and as Shikamaru would try to use the shadow possession, he would mock him before moving to attack them, lifting up a huge piece of ground and tossing it at them with no effort and as they all dodged the attack, the man would pop up from the ground, managing to catch Shikamaru.

He would call all of them a group of losers who were following a stupid leader before stating that he would do them a favor by getting rid of Shikamaru. He would start spinning him around before moving to throw him at a tree only for Choji to end up saving him. Naruto would step forward ready to attack only for Choji to claim the right to fight this guy, handing Shikamaru a large sack of food pills before taking out a container that had three brightly colored pills. Shikamaru would make him promise to catch up to them before relenting as Choji would eat the green pill. The man would smirk before charging at them, stating that he would not allow them to get away only for Choji to block him, telling the rest of them that they needed to hurry up and go.

It was with a heavy heart that they would leave Choji alone to fight that guy.

Taking to the trees again they would begin to discuss the pills that Choji had taken along with their doubts that the pills would be enough for Choji to beat the Sound Ninja on his own. Yuuki would remain silent as he would simply listen to the debate, eyes narrowing when Kiba would state that Choji was the weakest of all of them and that he had stayed behind to be useful and as his mouth opened to scold the wild boy, he found that he was beat to the punch. "None of us are weak. If we were Shikamaru would not have chosen us to join him on this mission, teammate or not. After all, he specifically chose Choji over Ino and he refused to let Sakura come along for a reason. Have some faith in Shikamaru as a leader and in Choji as a comrade." Akio would scold the Inuzuka boy harshly as he glared at him, that glare only softening when Yuna would speak up seconds later in agreement with him.

"Akio is right. Let's not forget who broke us free from that dome or who saved Shikamaru's life. Have some faith in him. He saved all of us, we owe him at least that much." Yuuki would smile as he heard his two teammates come to Choji's defense, a feeling of pride welling up in his chest when he realized just how much both of them had grown despite everything. It was interesting to hear that both of them had chosen to place their faith in someone outside of their team and yet, judging by the small smile that Shikamaru had on his face after they had defended his teammate, it seemed to be appreciated. Maybe those two could potentially build a life for themselves in the village after all.

It was comforting to think that the two of them might actually be okay when he chose to return to Suna.

They would continue on, only stopping to leave a note to let Choji know where they were going and which direction he needed to go in to find them before they would continue on. Kiba and Naruto would start complaining about the lack of traps while Neji and Shikamaru would state that it was a good thing that they were being underestimated since it would help them sneak up and surprise the rest of the Sound Ninjas.

Shikamaru would then take the time to transform into the form of the Ninja that Choji had been fighting before approaching the rest of them while they trailed from a distance behind them, listening. It would take all of a moment before they would realize that Shikamaru wasn't him and as the girl and the white-haired boy would take off ahead of them, they would watch as Shikamaru would get pinned to a tree by some sort of webbing that the guy with multiple arms was capable of making.

This wasn't going to be good.

The man would manage to trap Shikamaru as well as Kiba and Akamaru, even trapping Naruto and all of his clones before Neji would try and attack him only to get dodged and as the man would try to trap Neji as well, a burst of fire would shoot out, burning away all of the webs that were coming for Neji, Akio jumping up and sending another burst of fire at the spider-like ninja only to have him dodge as he scowled at the Koyabashi male who simply smirked in response.

"You're going to be a problem. I'll have to deal with you first it seems. Or..." He would disappear then, moving over to where he trapped Naruto and as Akio would move to help him he would smirk darkly, spitting out some thread that was colored brown this time before quickly hardening it and throwing it at Shikamaru, watching as Akio would quickly turn to burn the weapon before stopping in front of him, glaring.

"You try and stop me and I'll simply change my targets. It would be a shame if you were too slow to save anyone else." They would watch in horror as he would spit out more of that thread before shaping it into boomerangs, slowly picking off the clones one by one until only the real Naruto was left and as he threw the last one of his weapons, he would disappear in a cloud of smoke before the real Naruto would drop down from above to attack him only for the ninja to manage to trap him with a thread and as he would try to make him fall to his death, Yuna would pop out from behind him, chakra scalpels ready as she would sever the thread as Neji would catch Naruto, moving him to safety.

Neji would then tell them that he would face this ninja since his Byakugan was capable of seeing his attacks and for a moment all of them would remain silent before he would tell them that they could not allow Orochimaru to get his hands on someone from their village. He would continue to urge them on until finally, they would turn to move as Haku would appear beside them, stating that they needed to hurry.

They had no choice.

Before they knew it sunset had fallen and had given way to the rise of the moon, the rest of the party trailing after them under the cover of the shadows as Shikamaru would order them to continue the pursuit before stating that they would attack at dawn. Naruto and Kiba would initially protest until they would listen to Shikamaru's reasoning, gradually accepting it as they all fell silent, continuing on with their journey in silence.

Hopefully, they would make it in time.

* * *

They would wait until the break of dawn before moving to attack the two that they were following, waiting until they had stopped in order to reveal themselves, keeping the rest of their team hidden as they had done with the last two encounters so they could come to their rescue just in case things got out of hand and as the white-haired boy would charge at them, Kiba and Shikamaru jumping in front of the boy to protect Naruto while Yuuki would jump over them, heading for the pink haired girl and as Sakon would manage to hit away Shikamaru and Kiba, he would turn towards Yuuki only for his gaze to narrow as Naruto would build up the Rasengan and ultimately deciding that Naruto was the bigger of the threats he would turn his attention towards him as Yuuki would charge at the girl with his kunai drawn only for her to block his attack with her own kunai.

"Psh. Are prissy little bitches like you the best that the Leaf has to offer? You're supposed to be a fucking man and yet I'm stronger than you. How pathetic!" The pink haired woman would sneer at him as he would simply twitch, a dark smile slowly forming across his lips as those blues would open to lock within that arrogant brown gaze.

"My, My. Such a vulgar mouth. I think I should do the world a favor and take your tongue so we don't have to hear that ugly voice any longer." He would smirk as she would scowl at him before that smirk would grow as Kiba would shoot past Sakon, heading for the ugly woman and with Kiba's attack approaching the two of them, he would chuckle before jumping, moving as Shikamaru would trap the girl with his Shadow Possession while Kiba would grab the coffin, tossing it to him while Shikamaru would make the girl stand in Sakon's way, Sakon managing to knock both of them over while they would manage to get away from them.

* * *

"I cannot believe that worked." Yuuki would murmur quietly as they would move quickly away from the two Sound ninjas as they started to head back in the direction of the Hidden Leaf. "Either those two are really stupid and we've already distracted the smarter ones or their teamwork really sucks and we got lucky because of it."

"Our teamwork is much better than theirs is." Shikamaru would muse as he turned to look at Yuuki only for their gazes to widen as they heard a cry and as Yuuki would look over his shoulder, his gaze would widen even further as he saw the enraged Sound boy charging directly at him. Cursing quietly he would call out to Naruto before tossing the coffin towards him as he would land on a branch before falling forward, gripping onto the branch at the last second in order to swing himself up and using the momentum he would send himself flying towards the sound ninja, managing to land a quick kick in the center of his stomach and as he sent him flying back he would quickly move to catch up to the others while Akamaru stayed behind to plant paper bombs for Kiba to slow the other ninjas down even further.

It would be a moment later that the bombs would go off and yet, Sakon had somehow managed to come out of the trap completely unharmed. He would continue to come after them managing to trap Akamaru to a branch with wire and as the bomb was about to go off, Sakon stating that he was going to kill the pup before Kiba would rush in to save him and Yuuki's eyes would widen as he would watch them fall from the cloud of smoke that filled the air, falling into a deep cavern beneath the trees and all would remain silent for the longest of moments.

Then the foul-mouthed woman would charge at them.

This time Yuuki's eyes would narrow as he would begin to weave signs, only to freeze as he sensed another two chakra signatures closing in on them, body tensing as his gaze would shoot up only to see a white-haired figure falling towards them, wearing the same outfit that the other sound ninjas were wearing and immediately he would shoot forward towards Naruto, intent on getting to the coffin before the other could only to find himself a bit too slow as the mysterious ninja would land on the lid before kicking it away from Naruto and Shikamaru as he would carry it over to a branch behind them.

He was too late.

Yuuki would listen as Kimimaro would speak about Orochimaru's dream and the fact that he understood it now before also stating that Sasuke's body was the perfect vessel for making that dream come true before also stating that the Sound Ninja were a bit too late for Orochimaru to make use of Sasuke's body this time around. It was then that Naruto would scream at Kimimaro to stop talking before demanding that he give Sasuke back to them, the blonde launching himself forward in an attempt to attack Kimimaro only to get punched in the face by Tayuya, it was then that the white-haired boy would speak, telling the girl that the only reason he did not kill her now was because she still had a mission to carry out.

That and it was his mission to get Sasuke to Orochimaru.

Yuuki's gaze would narrow as he would see the two sound ninjas distracted, gaze focused on the coffin as his mind tried to come up a plan to get them all out of there. It was then that Kimimaro would say that he would leave them to her, even going as far as to call them pieces of trash though as he turned to the coffin he would get stopped from advancing as senbon would be thrown at him. Yuna landing on the branch with the coffin a few feet away as she would grasp onto it before quickly disappearing, Kimimaro immediately attempting to go after her only to get stopped by a burst of flames getting shot towards him, the white-haired man jumping back only to have to avoid a shower of senbon next.

Haku and Akio.

* * *

Yuuki would immediately turn his gaze to Shikamaru who would immediately nod and with a smirk, he would immediately body flicker away as well, tracking Yuna, Haku, Akio, and Sasuke's chakra signatures until he was able to find all of them and catch up. "Good going Yuna. It was smart sneaking up on them like that though why are we going the other way? The village is in the opposite direction."

"They'll be expecting us to go that way and besides, there's a chance that the other members of the sound four are still fighting our comrades. The best thing to do is to get to open ground. Yuuki, I know that you haven't tried to do this before but we're going to need you to try summoning your owl queen. The best chance of us getting out of here with Sasuke is if you're able to summon her and she's able to carry all of us. Is that Kimimaro guy still following us?" Yuuki's eyes would close and he would wince as he would sense that chakra signature trailing after them, quickly closing in on them at that.

There were two more that were chasing them too.

One was Naruto.

The other, he wasn't sure.

"There are three people that are currently chasing after us. Naruto, someone whose chakra I am unfamiliar with, and that sound ninja. As for summoning the Owl Queen, I will try my best but I don't know if there will be time. It seems like that boy from the sound is closing in on us and fast. It will be best if we start bracing ourselves for a battle and with five of us against potentially two, we might actually stand a chance." It would be a few moments later that they would exit the forest and would land on the ground, Kimimaro landing across from them a few seconds later only for Naruto to follow right behind him.

Where was the other person?

His eyes would close again as he would try and sense the other chakra signature only for his eyes to widen when it would disappear once again before suddenly flaring up and his eyes would snap open upon hearing gasps as out of seemingly nowhere, Akio's uncle would appear next to Kimimaro, gifting the younger sound ninja a small smirk.

"And you didn't want to let me mark you. See how useful my little jutsu really is? Even with someone as talented as you are, with the condition you are in, you would not have lasted long against these guys. Especially since Akio is here along with his little team." Those golden eyes would turn to look at the three of them before he would chuckle softly. A look of dark amusement would shine brightly in those eyes, the man growing more and more amused with each passing second as he continued to observe them and for a moment, Yuuki dared to think that maybe he might not attack them. Maybe there might have been some shred of love that he had left in that twisted heart of his that would allow him to let them leave with their lives.

Then he saw him reach for the sword that he kept attached to his waist.

He was going to kill them.

While smiling like that.

If they somehow managed to live through this, he was moving to back to Sunagakure to be with Gaara. He would forget about everything that tied him to Konoha and would get as far away from the troublesome village as soon as he possibly could. If they died, well,

He hoped that Gaara would forgive him for breaking his promise.


	20. Chapter 20

Yuuki's gaze watched the ninja in front of him with a look of complete distrust as that hand rested so calmly on his sword. It was apparent to him that Akira was toying with them as his hand stilled, a single finger gliding down the grip before the tension was cut through as Naruto demanded to know what Orochimaru wanted with Sasuke. For a moment, all was silent as the two sound ninjas simply looked at one another before the white-haired boy would be the one to disrupt the silence yet again as he began to explain everything. It seemed as though Orochimaru had already managed to perfect a jutsu that would allow him to remain immortal. He continued on to say that a long time was needed in order to master every single jutsu that was in the world and as Naruto demanded to know what that had to do with Sasuke, a sinking feeling filled Yuuki's chest.

He knew where this was going.

It was then that Kimimaro stated that the term immortal did not mean that flesh would be maintained as it was. They were told that before the body decayed, Orochimaru chose a stronger and more powerful body to house his soul. Naruto would cut in not even a second later, demanding to know if that was why Orochimaru wanted Sasuke and as Kimimaro would confirm their worst fear before moving to attack Naruto, only to dodge as Akio would quickly send a burst of fire his way.

"I don't think so." Those stern features would morph into a smirk as he watched Kimimaro's green eyes narrow before Naruto shouted out that he would not allow Akira or Kimimaro to take Sasuke away from them and it was not even a second later that they were surrounded by a large army of Naruto's clones. It was then that Kimimaro stated that although there was a lot of trash scattered about, trash was still trash in the end and all he needed to do was clean it up. It was then that Naruto began attacking him with his clones, only for Kimimaro to defeat each of them with very little effort on his part and as Yuuki and Akio moved towards them in an attempt to help Naruto they were immediately stopped by Akira who smirked darkly before finally unsheathing his sword, blade pointed at the two chunin as those golden eyes seemed to shine.

"If you want to fight, you will have to fight me. I won't allow you to interfere."

Akio and Yuuki were both lost for words, sharing a glance with each other as their minds were both left racing. While both of them were used to fighting together as a team, they both knew that they did not stand a chance against Akira and yet, as they watched Kimimaro make a mockery out of Naruto by attacking the boy with something that looked like bones, they knew that they had no choice but to act. Kimimaro would kill Naruto if they allowed him to attack him without them at least trying to stop him.

They had to do something.

"Akio, Yuna, Haku. We're going to have to fight this guy. Naruto will die if we continue to allow him to fight that guy alone." Yuuki mused softly, eyes narrowing as he saw the smirk that Akira gifted him with. "Do you guys remember when we first started training for the exams? The four of us came up with a combination that we said we would use only in case of an emergency. I think this is as good a time as any." When there were no objections made, Yuuki smirked softly at the amused older man.

"Alright. Team One. Let's show this traitor what we're made of." With those words, he watched as Akio was the first one to charge, attacking his uncle head-on with a kunai drawn, eyes narrowing as the older man simply dodged all of Akio's attacks with very little effort before simply shaking his head in mock disappointment.

"My, my. I have to admit that I'm a bit disappointed with how you turned out Akio. I always believed that you had the potential to be great. You had talent and yet, you've grown so little. I don't know if it's because I was wrong and you're simply average in every way or if it's because you were assigned a subpar sensei. I heard from a little bird that little Ryosuke grew up and is playing sensei to you now. You're lucky to grow up in a time of peace or you all would have been killed by now. He's more interested in playing house and acting like you children are his family than he is in actually teaching you all the skills needed for survival. I pity you children." He finished speaking only for golden eyes to widen as he would quickly jump out of the way as Yuna's chakra scalpel managed to just miss his throat, the medic managing to cut his skin just barely as the Koyabashi male would smirk.

"You're wrong. Ryosuke-sensei is a good teacher. He's taught us everything that we know and while that may not seem like much to you, it's everything to us. We will do whatever it takes to protect Sasuke from Orochimaru and we will stop you or die trying." Yuna's voice pierced through the silence as her eyes narrowed before she would charge at Akira again, this time joined by Akio as they both took him on, giving Yuuki and Haku the time they needed to play their parts and as Yuna would jump out of the way of Akira's punch, Yuuki immediately began weaving signs, taking advantage of Yuna and Akio's distraction to trap the older male in a genjutsu.

"Heavenly Illusion: Shades of Serendipity." It was one of his weaker illusions but it would have to do for the time being and as Haku moved to scatter water before quickly summoning his ice dome, using it as a prison of sorts to contain Akira before the four of them ran to help Naruto just in time to see Kimimaro finish off the last of the clones. It was then that the coffin that held Sasuke would explode, revealing his form as he stood with his back facing all of them, curse mark retreating as he simply looked away from them and as Naruto smiled before calling out to Sasuke, Yuuki's eyes simply narrowed.

Something wasn't right about him.

Naruto called out to him asking what he was doing with these guys before going on to say that everyone was worried about him. He would tell him that they were going home and it was then that Akio would step forward, his cold voice filling the air as icy eyes narrowed at Sasuke's back. "You're making a stupid decision Sasuke. Come back now with us and there won't be any consequences. All will be forgiven and things will eventually go back to how they were before. Orochimaru is a power hungry fool who has nothing to offer you but fake dreams of revenge and darkness. Don't make the same mistake my fool of an uncle did." It was then that the sound of something shattering would fill the air and all of them would immediately turn to Haku's ice dome only to find that Akira had somehow managed to completely destroy the ice, golden eyes fixing all of them with a look of annoyance as he would slide his sword back into its sheath.

"To think I had to use my blade to free myself from the ice. Perhaps I was underestimating you after all." Akira mused before those golden eyes would turn upon hearing Sasuke begin to laugh, expression becoming stern. "Sasuke come now. It's time for us to go to Orochimaru. Kimimaro will take care of everyone here. Now that you can move freely, we will need to leave immediately." Sasuke's laughter stopped as he would move to Akira's side, not once facing any of them before they would immediately disappear and as Kimimaro moved to attack Naruto, all of them watched as he was kicked away from him.

Lee had come to help them.

Kimimaro questioned who he was only for Lee to introduce himself to the sound ninja, telling them that he would take him on before telling them to go after Sasuke and for the longest moment, there was hesitation from all of them before Yuna would step forward to join Lee with a small smile. "You guys go on ahead. I will stay here to help Lee with this fight. At the very least, I know I'll be able to be of some help here with him. Just please be careful and avoid getting hurt since I won't be there with you guys." There was another moment of hesitation before they met Yuna's eyes and upon seeing the look of determination in them, they knew that there was no changing her mind and it was with that that Haku left them to join her and Lee as well, the look in his brown eyes clearly stating that he would not leave Yuna alone with just one other person to fight this man.

It was with a heavy heart that they left the three of them to fight Kimimaro, leaving only three of them remaining to take on Akira and Sasuke.

This was not going to turn out well for them.

* * *

"Sasuke!" Naruto's cry cut through the silence of the forest as the three remaining leaf ninja chased after the two men that ran away from them, bodies straining to keep up with their speed before suddenly the two of them would stop, causing them to stop as well. Hushed whispers were spoken for a short moment before Sasuke would continue on while Akira turned to face the three of them with a dark smirk once again.

"It seems as though I have no choice but to play with you three after all. I'll have to finish you three off quickly and return to the sound immediately but I suppose Orochimaru will simply have to deal with it." He all but purred as he would draw his blade for the first time in their presence, revealing a dark blade that shone ominously in the small beams of the sun that managed to shine through the trees.

Onimaru, the so-called demon sword.

"Naruto. You're going to have to go ahead on your own. Akio and I will hold him off as long as we possibly can. Do your best to talk some sense into Sasuke while you have the time." Naruto's eyes widened upon hearing Yuuki's words and as he would mention something about this sounding like the last time he would see him, he sighed before Akio spoke, informing Naruto on just who this man was before he defected.

"Naruto my uncle was a well-known and well-respected ninja before he defected from the village. He was the bodyguard to the third and late fourth and the fourth even taught him his signature technique. I won't say that it is impossible but there is a very good chance that Yuuki and I won't be able to beat him. That's why you need to be the one to go to Sasuke. If anyone can save him. If anyone can stop him, it is you. Go now while you can." Naruto's gaze lingered on the two of them before he would move on ahead, shouting that they both had better survive the battle before disappearing amongst the trees.

Then they were alone.

Yuuki watched as Akio grabbed a scroll from his pack before biting down on his thumb and running it along the length of the scroll, summoning the sword that he had been left by Akira before unsheathing it as his gaze narrowed. "I'm not going to lie and say that I know we'll be able to defeat you but we will try our best. I'll never understand why you abandoned everything, why you abandoned me along with the village but it's in the past. You have made your decision and I will do everything in my power to stop you." Those words were enough to make the older man's smirk grow before he would speak once again.

"Come then. Let's see just how well your determination serves you." Yuuki watched as those words were enough to make Akio charge at Akira, eyes widening as they strained to keep up with both men as their swords clashed with one another. While it was clear to Yuuki that Akio had been practicing using the sword that had been left to him, it was also very clear that Akira was holding back from fighting with his full strength. It became clear that he was toying with them, that he did not see them as anything more than just two children to toy around with and much to his surprise, he found that this time he was really bothered by it.

It was different this time around.

It was easy enough to brush off someone who saw him as less than simply because he had been born in Sunagakure instead of Konoha. It was less easy to brush off the people that saw him as less of a shinobi because of his talent in genjutsu but it was still something that he was capable of doing when push came to shove. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that this time it involved someone that he had once considered a comrade. Or perhaps it was simply because he did not like the idea that their potential death would occur while someone was merely playing around with the two of them.

His thumb rose to press against his lips, canines sinking deep into the tender flesh as they broke through the skin with the purple-haired boy releasing the softest hiss of pain before slamming his palm down on the branch where he stood, watching as a large gray owl that he had not summoned before appeared on the branch next to him, the bird's bewildered gaze watching the fight in front of them for a few moments before turning it's gaze to Yuuki, beak opening to speak only for Yuuki to interrupt him.

"I'm sorry but I don't really have much time to explain everything that is going on right now. But I am the new holder of your summoning contract and I need your help. This man that my teammate and I are fighting is very dangerous and if we don't stop him now, there's a very good chance that the two of us will die. I'm not one for begging but please, set whatever reservations you might have about me to the side right now and help us. Test me all you want later, I don't care but right now lend us your strength." His heart was left racing as the owl would stare at him blankly for a long moment before the bird simply sighed.

"Very well then. I will hold you to your promise, child."

"Excellent. Then this is the plan."

* * *

Never in his wildest dreams did he think he would be fighting against the man who had raised him, even after he had defected from the village to serve Orochimaru and yet, here he was. Akio's body ached, muscles straining to defend himself against Akira's attacks. It became clear to him very quickly that he was completely out of his league the moment their swords had first clashed with one another, his uncle's demon blade immediately overpowering his own despite the fact that the swords were brothers, supposedly equal in every way.

It was all he could do to simply defend himself, quietly hoping that Yuuki could come up with some sort of plan or even an illusion that was strong enough to delay the man's attacks, gaze widening a moment later when his teammate launched himself towards his uncle with a kunai drawn, the youngest Koyabashi male's body ready to dive in to the fight to stop his teammate from attacking the older man head on only for his gaze to widen as Yuuki would quickly change course, tackling him and pinning him down to a branch as a powerful burst of wind surrounded him, the weight of Yuuki's body pinning him down while his uncle was hit dead on, the man flying back and slamming into a tree only to disappear in a burst of smoke.

A shadow clone.

"Hmm. So we have a genjutsu user who is a sensor and uses owl summons." That voice would fill the air as he jumped down from above, landing directly in front of them as those golden eyes locked onto the form of the illusionist as they both rose. "Not a bad combination. Perhaps you aren't completely hopeless after all. It's too bad that I won't get to see anything else. You have the potential to be a real troublemaker later down the line. I've no choice but to end you here and now." Before he could even shout out, Akira's sword was drawn and with a quick movement, his sword was buried deep inside of Yuuki's stomach, impaling the illusionist as the crimson liquid coated the dark metal of the blade, staining the weapon a horrific color before the scent that filled the air immediately after would calm the panic that had begun rising within his chest.

Paint.

"Hiden Technique: Art Of Life." The words were little more than a whisper and the second they were said, the artificial vines that Yuuki was so fond of using would burst from the wound in the fake Yuuki's stomach, climbing up Akira's blade as they surged forward only for the man to abandon his blade as he quickly jumped away, hands forming signs rapidly as he gathered up his chakra, ready to try burning them only for Yuuki's voice to speak softly. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. My paint is highly flammable. If you're thinking of trying to burn my paintings they will simply explode and you will be caught up in the blast along with us. You'll die as well."

The vines slowly retreated back to the fake Yuuki, dragging the sword along with them before they would lay Akira's sword at Akio's feet as the painting's wound would immediately repair itself.

Yuuki had successfully managed to disarm Akira and take his prized blade away from him and as that realization sunk in, he could not stop the smirk that crossed his lips as his icy eyes moved to focus on his uncle now that he knew his teammate was safe. "What was that you said about ending us? Like I said before, it won't be that easy to get rid of us. We won't be defeated so easily."

As long as Yuuki stayed out of harm's way, they had a chance and that was what mattered.

* * *

Yuuki's eyes narrowed as he watched the older man, noticing that Akira seemed to be trying to figure out where it was he was hiding and immediately he began weaving signs as he worked to cast a simple genjutsu that was meant to disorient the older man, masking where he was hiding as his voice echoed in every direction the next time he would speak. "You're a very arrogant man, assuming that you've seen everything I can do after only a few minutes. I might only be a chunin but I have quite a few neat little tricks up my sleeve. As you're about to find out."

He would fall silent as he grabbed his own scrolls from his pouch before reopening the wound on his thumb as he summoned his paintings, his gaze narrowing as he would offer them to his summon, murmuring silently that he needed to get them as close to Akio and his paint clone as possible and as the owl would move to do as he asked, his eyes closed as he began weaving even more signs, attempting to create another layer to the genjutsu he managed to trap Akira in, trying to distract him as long as possible in order to keep his attention off of Akio and his summon and once the paintings were set in place and his owl returned to him he would thank the bird quietly before immediately jumping over to where his clone and Akio were standing.

Yuuki's hands began immediately weaving the signs as he landed next to Akio, activating his jutsu once again and as they were surrounded by the same creatures that Yuuki had used during his match in the Chunin exams, the illusionist immediately sending them after Akira only to curse under his breath as the man managed to break free from the attack just in time to avoid their attacks, the man jumping from branch to branch as he tried to evade their attacks while weaving signs, the older man smirking as he would finally form the final sign.

"Lightning Burial: Banquet of Lightning!" The moment that he felt the air shift Yuuki's gaze would narrow slightly before widening in shock the moment that he saw the large and violent bolts of lightning that surged towards him and Akio, Yuuki's body tensing and freezing up as he would watch the lightning come closer and closer to striking him before he was tackled out of the way by Akio, both of their bodies landing roughly on a branch nearby and for a moment, he simply sat there stunned as he watched the nearby tree immediately burn, the trunk being completely stripped of bark while the leaves burned from the heat of the lightning.

A second later and they both would have been killed.

Yuuki's gaze turned to Akio only to see him gripping onto his arm, hissing softly as the black haired boy moved his hand to reveal that he had been nicked by the lightning, the burn on his arm being more severe than any burn Yuuki had ever seen before. "Shit. I'm sorry Akio. You got hurt because I just froze back there. This is my fault."

"Yuuki, it's fine. I was not going to stand there and let you just get hit. It does hurt like hell but you're not to blame." Akio's icy eyes narrowed as he watched as Akira managed to reclaim the sword he had abandoned in order to save Yuuki, the paintings having no choice but to stop their pursuit of him to avoid getting close to the flames of the burning leaves.

"I've had about enough of these silly little games. You were clever to trap me in those annoying illusions of yours and you took me by surprise with this strange jutsu of yours. But no more." Akira's body would move faster than they could blink, sword drawn and ready to strike Yuuki only for Akio's sword to block the hit, his arm shaking from the force of Akira's strike.

"I'm not letting you hurt him. I know you don't understand what it's like to care for someone but you'll have to kill me before I let you hurt Yuuki." Akira simply stared at Akio for the longest of moments, those golden eyes staring deeply into the icy blues of his nephew before chuckling darkly.

"Ryosuke truly did ruin you. To be willing to die for your teammate. It's pathetic." A quick strike of the sword would send Akio's blade flying from his hand before Akira would move to catch it. "You are not worthy to wield the Dōjigiri Yasutsuna so I will be taking it back with me. Not that you will have any need for it since your journey ends here. What better way to end you then with your own blade?" Yuuki's eyes widened as he saw the blade being lifted into the air and without hesitating for even a moment his body would move on its own, hand shoving Akio back against the trunk of the tree as he took his place.

For a moment he felt nothing.

Adrenaline was rushing through his veins, his heart pounding in his ears as those blues simply stared into that surprised golden gaze before the man would chuckle softly. "You leaf ninja truly are foolish. To sacrifice your life for your teammate." Yuuki would simply swallow before gasping as the sword was yanked out of his abdomen, feeling as though the air had been robbed from his lungs as he would stumble back a few steps only to be caught by Akio as he was gently lowered sit down, Akio immediately putting pressure on the wound to try and stop the bleeding, calling out his name repeatedly as he tried getting Yuuki to focus on him.

"It's no use Akio. Your friend will die here. I pierced him deeply with the sword. If he doesn't bleed out it will be only a matter of time before he suffers from whatever internal damage I gave him." Akira's gaze lifted to the sky before narrowing as clouds filled the sky, a sigh leaving his lips as he would move to re-sheath his sword. "It would have been ideal for me to take care of the both of you here and now, but it seems as though I am out of time. I must retrieve Sasuke quickly." His gaze would turn to his nephew one last time, watching as the boy paid him no mind while trying to save his friend before quickly body flickering away, leaving the two boys alone.

The purple-haired boy would live if he got medical attention fast enough, he had done his best to avoid piercing any organs after all.

* * *

"Yuuki hold on. I'm going to try and stop the bleeding and bandage you up. I'll carry you and find Yuna. We'll get you help so hang in there!" Yuuki would blink, trying his best to focus on the words that were being said to him through the pain but he sounded muffled, almost as though he was getting farther and farther away despite the fact that he was right next to him. Eyes slowly lifted to look up at the sky as a drop of rain fell from it and a moment later, the rain began pounding down on them.

"Heh. Even the sky is crying for me." Yuuki managed to get the words out, gifting Akio a weak smile before gasping and turning to the side, coughing violently as his body shook, a small amount of blood leaving his mouth which only caused Akio to panic more as he told him to shut up, an order that pointedly went ignored as Yuuki's gaze met his comrade's icy gaze. "Akio...if I don't make it. If I die here...just know that you and Yuna are the best friends I could have ever asked for. I'm..so grateful to have been put on a team with the two of you, even if I act like an ass half of the time."

The pain that tore through him once again was enough to make him stop speaking for a moment, body trembling from the waves of pain that ripped through him before his eyes would open as he felt water land directly on his cheek, eyes widening slightly when he saw the tears that were trailing down his stern teammate's cheeks as he told him again to stop talking, something that made Yuuki simply smile. "I don't think I've ever seen you cry before. You sure you want to use those tears on me? Surely there's someone more worthy of them than I am."

Again Akio would tell him to shut up, though this time he heard the emotion that leaked out from his tone and his eyes would close in resignation as he came to the conclusion that there was a good chance he really was going to die. He could feel himself slowly slipping away, could feel the growing tiredness as the pain slowly faded away from his senses only to be replaced with the growing desire to simply go to sleep.

"Hey, Akio. Can you do me a favor?" He wouldn't give him a chance to answer as he continued to speak, his mind falling to the one person he wished he could see one last time as he swallowed roughly, a tight feeling gathering in his throat as his eyes burned and yet, he would still force a smile as he stared up at the sky. "Let Gaara know that I love him. Let him know that I love him more than anything else in the world and tell him that I'm sorry I broke my promise to him."

"Yuuki..what are you- HEY! Don't close your eyes. I need you to stay awake! Yuuki! Don't-" That voice would get farther and farther away until it would finally fade away completely as he was surrounded by darkness and the empty cold, completely alone as he was left to contemplate to himself, wondering if this was where people went where they died as he waited for something, anything to happen.

Seconds would turn into minutes and minutes into days as he remained alone, quiet and lost in his own thoughts before anything would happen, the darkness being pierced through as he heard a call of his name by the one person he had wanted to see more than anything else in the world.

Gaara.

* * *

There were very few times in his life where Gaara could ever remember feeling as helpless as he felt right now. The first had been when Yuuki had been taken away from his as a child by his father, the memory enough to cause an overwhelming feeling of bitterness to well up within the red-haired boy's chest just at the thought of it. The second had been when Kankuro and Temari had been torn away from him by his father after they had been caught playing with him and the third had been when Yashamaru tried killing him all those years ago.

Even so, this was the thing that easily hurt him the most.

When he had interfered in the battle to save the Leaf ninja only to be told that Yuuki had gone off ahead with only Naruto and Akio as his support, he had immediately known that something was going to go horribly wrong. Yuuki while strong in his own way, was not powerful in hand to hand combat and he knew that Naruto's main priority would be chasing after Sasuke. He did not know how capable Akio was in combat either and the thought that Yuuki might very well be in danger was something that constantly plagued his mind even as he defeated the white-haired monster from the sound.

So he had done what any person would do.

Rock Lee and Haku had been sent back to the village for reinforcements while he and his blue-haired rival for Yuuki's affection went out in search for the rest of their team. The air between them had been silent with an uncomfortable sort of tension that was only cut when they heard Akio's voice shouting through the trees as he called out Yuuki's name and the moment that he heard the broken desperation in his voice, he had known that something had happened.

Still, nothing could have prepared him for seeing his Yuuki laying there on the branch of a tree, looking as though death had already claimed him as his blood leaked so freely from the wound on his stomach. A sense of complete shock had taken over the red-haired boy as he stood there, teal eyes locked on the form of his lover even as the blue-haired girl began trying to heal him.

The shock had quickly turned into anger.

"What happened to him?" The question had been coldly directed towards Akio as the boy simply sat there with what he assumed was Yuuki's blood staining his hands even despite the rain trying to wash it away and the boy would simply remain silent for a moment before he would tell him that Yuuki had saved his life by stepping in front of him as a man known simply as Akira had tried to kill him.

Yuuki had taken the blow for his teammate.

He remembered having stood there, the familiar desire to kill slowly creeping up within him as he stared at the person who had been too weak to keep Yuuki safe. For a moment, he felt as though he was going to lose control of himself once again, the monster inside of him whispering sweet nothings about how good it would feel to feed the sand the blood of the one who had ultimately let Yuuki fall in front of him or even better, how good it would feel to find the person who had harmed Yuuki and paint the ground red with their blood.

Then he thought of Yuuki and the urge would slowly die deep inside of him as he recalled the conversation that they had, what seemed like ages ago in the depths of the Forest Of Death.

Yuuki had made him promise that he would never kill anyone for his sake.

Yuuki had risked his life for Akio, had seen him worthy of getting himself hurt in order to protect him and for Gaara to do anything to the teammate he so clearly valued would be spitting on not only Yuuki's desire to keep him safe but the promise he had begged him to make to him.

He couldn't do that, not to the only person who had ever given him the love he had so desperately desired.

Instead, he simply stayed by Yuuki's side, his hand finding Yuuki's limp hand and grabbing onto it, holding it as though Yuuki would vanish the moment he released it. He remembered not wanting to release him, even as the backup that Lee and Haku had run to get came to their aide. He had stayed by Yuuki's side the entire time, even as he was taken to the hospital, leaving him only when he was told that he was getting in the way of being properly treated only to return to his side the moment he was allowed, hand held tightly in his own as those teal eyes never once left that sleeping face.

He looked almost peaceful.

Gaara's fingers would trace a slow pattern on Yuuki's unresponsive hand as he thought about how close he truly had come to losing him, mind replaying the message that Akio said Yuuki had told him to deliver to him over and over again. The simple thought of being forced to live in a world in which Yuuki no longer existed was enough to make his heart ache just as it did back when he had been but a child crying for someone to love him. To lose the only person that had ever loved him, to have his Yuuki's last words be an apology for breaking the promise of forever he had given to him as a child,

He couldn't stand the pain in his heart.

"Yuuki, It has been a few days since you were healed and still you sleep. You came close to breaking your promise to me but you are still alive. You're still breathing and as long as that heart still beats, as long as you are still in this world, your future will belong to me. So wake up. Let me see you and hear your voice." Gaara's only response would be silence as Yuuki's features would remain peaceful.

"Smile at me. Tease me if you must. Just..wake up. You came into my life and affected it, take responsibility for what you've done to me." He had always wanted to be loved, to have people who accepted him and adored him for who he was. Someone to see past the monster that everyone in the village saw him as.

Fate had given him Yuuki.

Because he had been the first child to not run away at the mere sight of him, because he had humored him and had always treated him kindly, there had always been some sort of adoration for the illusionist deep within his heart. That childhood infatuation turning into something more powerful after Yashamaru's betrayal, with the memory of Yuuki becoming the only source of comfort he had left in the world.

Yuuki had become a symbol of a happier time along with a promise of a better future.

Even with all of Yuuki's faults, even with his stupid teasing and his foolish arrogance, this was the boy who had put up with his behavior. He had forgiven him time and time again despite the mistakes he had made. He had declared his love for him in front of his allies and had been willing to protect him and his siblings from the comrades who wanted to arrest them. He held him and kissed him despite everything he had done. He was something that was warm and comforting to him and he could have lost him for good.

Maybe this was fate's way of telling him that he did not deserve to have Yuuki in his life. But, even so, he was too selfish to give him up. Childhood adoration had turned into infatuation which, in turn, evolved into an unhealthy obsession until Naruto managed to knock some sense into him and Yuuki showed him what truly lay within his heart. Even so, he did not realize what the feelings towards Yuuki truly were until he had heard his message from Akio.

The pain that consumed him when he thought he might lose him.

He loved Yuuki.

Loved him just as much as Yuuki loved him.

"Yuuki. Wake up. You have slept long enough. It is time for you to wake up." His gaze lowered to fall upon the floor, trying his best to find the words that he wanted to say next only for his gaze to shoot up the moment he felt a light squeeze on his hand, that stunned teal gaze meeting a tired, amused blue one.

"You know Gaara, I was hoping to wake up to a confession of love. Maybe even a kiss. You're really bad at this whole romance thing. It's a good thing we have the rest of our lives-" He would cut Yuuki off as he would lean forward, lips brushing against Yuuki's forehead in the exact same way Yuuki had kissed him before, effectively shutting the other boy up.

"You and I have a lot to talk about now that you are awake. But that can wait until you get out of the hospital. I've waited this long for you, I can wait a little longer." He did not want to stress Yuuki out and delay what was left of the healing process, even though he was positive at this point that Yuuki was mostly healed.

He did not want to take any chances.

Yuuki needed to be perfectly healthy before they would have the conversation he planned on having with him because this time, he did not plan on leaving the village with just Temari and Kankuro.

No, this time Yuuki would be coming with him.

It was time for him to return home.

* * *

**Chapter 20 at last!**

**I just wanted to leave a note here and let you guys know how much I appreciate all of the reviews and the feedback that you guys have given me! Thank you for sticking with my story up to this point and I hope that you guys will continue to enjoy the journey I have planned for these guys. I hope that you guys continue to enjoy the story!**

**~ Xayden**


	21. Chapter 21

It had been a long couple of days to say the very least.

A huff of displeasure left the purple-haired illusionist as he gifted a not so subtle glare at his nervously smiling sensei who had reluctantly informed him that they had failed to convince Sasuke to return with them. Apparently, Naruto and Sasuke had gone head to head when Naruto had caught up to Sasuke only for Naruto to be ultimately knocked unconscious. By the time Kakashi had caught up to his two students, Sasuke had already disappeared and Naruto had required immediate medical attention, something that initially freaked Yuuki out until he was told that Naruto was fine, just banged up pretty badly.

It turns out that all of them had been hurt badly.

And the bastard had still gone to Orochimaru despite everything.

The realization that Sasuke seemed to care so little about the fact that all of them had gone after him was enough to make a bitter taste build up in his mouth, a scoff leaving him as his eyes narrowed. "If that's how it is then it's better that he's gone. We don't need someone who cares so little for his comrades here. He would have been a shitty comrade. If he was already so blinded by his hatred that he didn't care about the fact that all of us came after him, then who needs him? I could have died because of Akio's psycho uncle and Akio got hurt too."

The mention of his teammates was enough to make him react, body launching forward as he met the surprised gaze of his sensei. "How are those two doing anyway? I haven't seen either one of them since I woke up here a few days ago! I've only seen you and Gaara! Is he keeping them away or something? What's going on?" His eyes would narrow once again as he met the almost nervous gaze of his sensei. watching as the older man once again laughed nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck before sighing as he suddenly became serious, gold eyes meeting Yuuki's before speaking.

"Yuuki, I had wanted to wait to tell you this until you were fully healed, but Team One is no longer going to be a thing after today. You and Akio are both Chunin, which means you two will no longer be under my supervision. Akio has been on missions since his wounds were not as serious and we need all of the active jonin and chunin ninjas we can get. You will be assigned your own missions once you get better as well. There's a chance you two will never work together again. You have to realize that." Yuuki fell completely silent upon hearing the news that Team One was to be disbanded after having spent two years working together, fists clenching on the sheets before he would speak.

"What about Yuna? You expect us to abandon her and you after everything we've been through together? Don't we have a choice-"

"Yuuki any choices you could have made about staying as a team ended the moment you accepted the vest and your promotion. Yuna is still a genin under my supervision, though for how much longer is unclear as well. Tsunade-sama has allowed her to help in healing those who were hurt chasing after Sasuke and she has already told me that Yuna is a promising medic. It will only be so long before she's taken from me as well and I will go back to taking on my regular jonin responsibilities, it will be like our time as a team never existed."

There was an underlying bitterness to his sensei's tone that immediately caught Yuuki's attention, eyes widening as he saw the sad look within Ryosuke's gaze before it hit him all at once. Ryosuke had always called them his children when he referred to them in a conversation, though he had always assumed that the older man had been joking because of his young age. The thought that he might have been serious the entire time was enough to make his throat hurt as his eyes burned, watching as the older man refused to meet his gaze, seemingly embarrassed.

Ryosuke really did love the three of them like they were his own, didn't he?

"A-At any rate. I should get going. I will see you around Yuuki and just remember, it was an honor for me to teach you even if it was only for a short while. Please be safe and healthy." Before he could say anything in response, the man had already slipped out of the room and Yuuki was left with only silence and his own racing thoughts. He was angry about the fact they had failed their mission. He was upset that he might never get the chance to work with Yuna or Akio again. He was frustrated that Ryosuke had run out of the room before he had gotten the chance to really talk with him.

Most of all, he was pissed that he had gotten stabbed through the stomach for nothing.

If he ever saw Sasuke again, he was going to kill him.

* * *

It would be another day before he was finally cleared to be released from the hospital only to find Gaara already waiting for him at the entrance along with a very calm Temari and a somewhat nervous looking Kankuro whose expression eased the moment he saw Yuuki, an action that immediately made the illusionist nervous.

"What are you three doing here waiting for me of all people? I know Gaara said he needed to talk to me but I didn't think this would be happening the moment I was discharged." Yuuki mused quietly, brow rising when he was met with an unimpressed look from both Gaara and Temari before she stepped forward, hands settling on her hips as her teal eyes narrowed.

"So I heard you got stabbed through the stomach by a deranged psychopath while chasing after that Uchiha brat." Her curt tone was enough to make Yuuki wince before he laughed nervously, hand moving to rub at the new scar that he had received as a result of the aforementioned injury, only to cry out as he was immediately smacked on the head by the angry woman.

"Do you think this is funny?! I was worried sick when I heard about what happened! I don't know what it is with you men and stupidity but it seems like it runs in abundance, especially with you leaf shinobi!" He would wince again as she stepped even closer, ready to potentially have to defend himself against the angry woman only to blink a moment later when he was pulled into a hug by her. "Even so, I am glad that you're okay. We were worried when we saw you being carried. You're like another little brother to me so don't scare me like that again, alright?"

The only thing Yuuki could do was nod in response to her demands before his gaze widened as Kankuro would approach both of them as well, though this time he looked more relaxed and not nearly as nervous as he had looked before. "You really did give us all a scare. We're glad that you're okay and everything but it was a close call there. They said that if that guy would have gotten you a few inches deeper he would have pierced through your stomach. So we're just happy that you're okay." Temari stepped away only for Kankuro to immediately ruffle Yuuki's hair, grinning as he heard the protest before stepping away as Gaara approached them.

"Yuuki, we have a lot to talk to you about. I think it's best if we all speak in private. Perhaps in your home?" Yuuki's smile immediately faltered at the idea that he might have been in some sort of trouble, gaze immediately darting towards Kankuro and Temari only for his blood to run cold the minute that he saw how serious the two of them had become. Knowing that there was no possible way he could get himself out of this, he simply sighed before turning around on his heel and leading the three to the apartment he had once shared with his parents.

They were probably laughing at his misfortune from beyond their graves come to think of it.

The moment they stepped inside his apartment, he simply sighed before quietly asking if any of them would like tea or snacks while they had their conversation before immediately moving to sit down at the table when his offers were rejected, watching them as they joined him immediately after. For a moment, things were completely quiet between the three of them up until Gaara finally took it upon himself to break the silence.

"You almost broke your promise to me, Yuuki. I do understand that you are a shinobi and because of that, you will have to undertake dangerous missions. That being said, chasing after someone who clearly has no regards to your or any of your other comrades' safety only to end up almost dying in the process is something I am not okay with." Yuuki's brow immediately furrowed and his mouth opened to interject only for him to fall silent when Gaara lifted his hand quietly, suggesting that he still needed to say somethings only for his brow to rise when Temari was the one to speak next.

They were tag-teaming him.

"What Gaara is saying is that we did some research about those people you guys were expected to fight. All of them were Orochimaru's personal bodyguards, meaning they were at least jonin level ninja if not higher. Akira Koyabashi was a jonin level ninja who was also the bodyguard to the late Fourth and Third Hokages. Your group consisted of mostly genin and a few chunin. There was no way you guys should have stood a chance. We are impressed that your group managed to kill a few of those guys without our help, but the rest of you did need our help and not only that but you and your teammate should have died when fighting against that man. Either he was toying with you guys and left before he could kill both of you for some reason, or he purposely kept the both of you alive to use you both for some plan of his later, which is unsettling."

That statement was enough to make Yuuki's body tense as he thought back to the fight. It was true that it seemed like Akira had not taken any of them seriously throughout the duration of the fight. It was also true that Akira had been close enough to kill both him and Akio if he had truly wanted to. The fact that Akira had left so quickly after stabbing him and the fact that he had not tried to hurt Akio after he had taken him down was a red flag now that he truly stopped to think about it.

Akira hadn't been trying to kill them.

"So what exactly do you three think is going to happen because he kept Akio and I alive? Do you think he's going to come after us or something?" Yuuki's words would fill the air as his gaze lifted from staring at the table in thought to fall upon the three sand shinobi only to be greeted with silence as a response.

"We're not sure what his reasons were for keeping Akio alive. It is likely that he thought you were going to bleed out but it's strange that he took that chance and didn't just kill you then and there to be sure unless he really thought you were never going to be a threat to him either way." Kankuro would speak now, oddly serious. "At any rate, while we may never be sure of his reasons, we are sure of one thing. Yuuki we think it's time you leave this village behind and come back with us to the Hidden Sand."

How did he know this was where the conversation was going to lead him?

"I see that Gaara's managed to sway you two to his side now. Why? You both never told me that you wanted me to return to the village before now. If it's because of this mission-"

"Yuuki, it's more than that. This village has always treated you as less than human because of the fact that you were born in another village. We remember you saying as such in your letters. The only reason your parents came to this village was because of our father but he's gone now. What do you think they would have wanted for you? To continue to serve a village that has never treated you right or to come home with the people who have always loved you? You've always been another little brother to me. I don't want you to keep getting sent on missions like these. You were lucky this time but how long will this luck of yours last?"

Yuuki had no response to Temari's words, falling silent as they echoed in his head before sighing. It was true that he had always been treated badly by the people of the Hidden Leaf, but it was also true that he had not been the only one. Thoughts of Yuna, Ryosuke, Akio, and even Naruto would flash through his mind as he swallowed roughly, thinking about everything those three had gone through and the fact that unlike him, they simply did not have the option to flee to another village with people who cared for them.

Then again, Naruto had Sakura and Kakashi-sensei.

Yuna had Haku.

Ryosuke had Kakashi-sensei.

Akio would likely be treated better once word got around that he had fought against his uncle for the sake of the village and had even survived, which left him all alone once again. There was not even a promise that he would have his teammates by his side any longer since Team One was to be disbanded and there was a very good chance that his new teammates on missions would not give a damn if anything were to happen to him, someone they would always consider to be an outsider.

He likely wouldn't even live long enough to find out what had happened to his mother and father at this rate.

* * *

"Yuuki." Gaara's voice would cause him to break free from his thoughts as he met that gaze once again blinking in surprise when he felt a hand wrap tightly around his own.

"I told you once, back in that forest that I did not know what I would do if something happened to you. When I went to find you with that blue-haired teammate of yours and found you lying there bleeding out, I came close to finding out. The first thought that came to mind was the fact that I wanted to kill someone. The first person was Akio since he was incapable of keeping you safe. The second was the person who did that to you in the first place. I almost slipped and became the person I was before Naruto managed to knock some sense into me."

Yuuki swallowed roughly at the revelation that Gaara had almost snapped again, brow furrowing once again before opening his mouth to speak once again only to fall silent as Gaara continued to speak.

"Do you know what stopped me Yuuki? What stopped me from going on a rampage and killing everything in sight? It was my promise to you. The promise that you made me give, that I would never kill anybody for your sake. I did not want to break the promise I made to you because it is one of the only things you have ever asked of me. Yuuki, I came to realize that while you have always loved me, I have not always returned the favor. I saw you as mine. I clung to you the way a child would cling to a prized toy. But I never realized how much you meant to me until I saw you like that."

Yuuki's gaze widened when he saw the color that flooded into Gaara's cheeks at that moment and as Gaara's gaze lowered almost shyly it took all of the control he had in his body not to launch himself across the table and embarrassing him in front of his siblings. The thought that it would be the perfect revenge for Gaara kissing him in front of his teammates was enough to nearly make him smirk, though the thought was quickly forgotten when Gaara's gaze would lift once again.

"The truth is Yuuki. As hard as it is to admit now...in front of my siblings." He gifted both Kankuro and Temari a look that had both of them smirking, the serious mood of their conversation forgotten for the time being as Temari spoke.

"Now, now Gaara. You always used to cling to Yuuki calling him your husband when you were younger. You even kissed him in public more than once not that long ago. We're family. You can be honest about how you're feeling with us."

"I mean, you did always say you were going to marry him. If you think we didn't know about this by now, you're just as blind as you thought we were Gaara."

That was enough to make Gaara's cheeks darken even further as his head would lower, his grip on Yuuki's hand tightening slightly as he would exhale, seemingly trying to recollect himself as Yuuki watched with great amusement, delighted with the fact that Gaara had seemingly become so shy after the whole situation with Naruto.

It was so cute.

* * *

"Yuuki. I.." Gaara was struggling to get the words out, much to Yuuki's growing amusement, that fondness and adoration he felt for Gaara growing to the point where his gaze softened. A sigh would leave him as he would gently lift Gaara's hand to his lips, before brushing them against his knuckles in a soft kiss, smiling as he felt the younger boy tense up beneath his affections.

"You don't have to say it now Gaara. I kind of already have an idea what you were getting at. You can say it if and when you're ready." He smiled warmly at the surprised boy before his gaze lowered to the table with a sigh as he quietly contemplated the arguments the three sand shinobi had given him, trying his best to come up with a reason why he should not just give in and go back to the Hidden Sand with them only to come up with absolutely nothing.

He would have a better life there in the Hidden Sand. He had Temari and Kankuro along with Gaara and he would have access to his clan's records on their genjutsu. He would likely be given missions that were actually suited to his rank and whatever comrades he had would likely have either known his parents or would know about his clan enough to treat him with respect.

Gaara would have him there when he needed him.

It would be so easy to say yes and go off to a happier life.

"Yuuki." He would swallow roughly as his gaze lifted to meet Gaara's piercing mint gaze. He was surprised to see that he had managed to calm himself down in the short time that he had been lost within his thoughts, that midnight-blue meeting those light greens before he spoke. "It's time to come home. You've been gone for too long. We've been waiting for a long time. Don't make us wait any longer."

Gaara wanted him to come home.

Damn it all.

It was with a sigh that the fight within him died, the illusionist gifting the three siblings a defeated smile before he spoke. "You guys win. Though I have no idea how the hell you three are going to convince the Fifth Hokage to let me return to the Hidden Sand. From what I've heard she's a stubborn old woman who has one hell of a nasty temper. You three are going to have your work cut out for you, especially since I'm a newly promoted Chunin that the late Third apparently had a high opinion of." He would blink as he saw Temari of all people begin to smirk as she leaned forward, hands placed firmly on the table.

"You just leave this to us. We will take care of everything. We had a feeling that Gaara would talk you into agreeing with us so we already arranged an audience with her." She spoke with a confident smirk, causing Yuuki to merely sigh as his gaze lowered to the table.

Why did he have a feeling this was going to go horribly wrong?

* * *

"So let me get this straight. You expect me to allow you three to take Yuuki Saito away from the Hidden Leaf back to the Hidden Sand? Even though he's one of our newly appointed Chunin?" The blonde woman would drawl with a lazy tone, brown eyes narrowed as she eyed the four shinobi in front of her, nails tapping against her desk before she would speak after sighing. "You have to be joking right? Surely you must know that I need all of the Chunin and Jonin I can get. I even had to request back up from your village to get these guys back alive. What makes you think I can part with even him? No especially him."

"Lady Hokage, I understand your concerns but please hear us out. A lot has happened to your village within the last few months and I can understand why you would be reluctant to give him to us especially with the Hidden Sand's part in the late Third Hokage's death but Yuuki's place is in the Hidden Sand. We hold the remnants of Yuuki's clan and the powerful genjutsu they once used. We are where he will learn and grow and most importantly, we are where he will be accepted with open arms. It is best not only for Yuuki but for the Hidden Leaf, a place where he will never be fully accepted because of the fact that he was born in our village, to allow him to return home where he belongs."

For a moment all was silent as Tsunade would ponder Temari's words, brown eyes narrowing as it trailed over to the calm illusionist who leaned back against the wall, watching everything with that polite smile he always wore when uncomfortable and his body immediately tensed when he felt her gaze on him, straightening up before that smile widened as the woman spoke. "Yuuki. Tell me something. Do you really want to return to the Hidden Sand or are these three putting you up to it? You've been here since you were young according to your records. Is it so bad here that you're willing to run back to the Hidden Sand despite the bonds you've made here?"

Yuuki paused the moment the woman finished speaking, allowing himself to think carefully about his response before sighing. "Honestly? I would have returned to the Hidden Sand the moment I stepped foot in this village if it had been up to me. The people here are not too accepting of people that are not born here and while my parents shielded me from most of it while they were alive, when they died I started to see this village for what it is. I can respect that this is your home and so, I will hold my tongue and restrain myself from allowing you to hear my more..harsh opinions of this village but it is hard to consider a place home when you are never truly considered to be part of the village isn't it?" He would inwardly smirk as Tsunade's expression would falter in front of him before continuing to speak.

"Imagine an orphan from the Hidden Sand being all alone in the world with not a soul to talk to because no one can bother to care for a kid who wasn't born here. All he wants is to go home, but where is home when the people who made wherever it was he lived home are dead? Imagine a girl from the Hidden Mist who was forced to grow up early because her parents went insane. All she wants is to make the world a better place but she's forced to listen to people badmouth her and her parents all because they came from the 'Bloody Mist'. Imagine a boy who got shunned because his uncle betrayed the village. He's a child but he's forced to pay for the sins of his uncle. This place ceased to be home the minute I was old enough to realize how cruel the people here truly can be. With all due respect, Lady Hokage all I want is to return to my home with the people I love. The bonds I have managed to create here, I am certain will not suffer because of the distance. Should they ever need me, I will be here. I will be more than happy to prove that to you if need be."

He hoped that she gave him that chance.

He watched as the woman fell completely silent, watched as she quietly took in his words with a quiet inhale before with a sigh she gave her answer. "I had hoped in the time that I had been away from the village that they would have become more open-minded and accepting of people but it seems as though they still have a long way before my hopes are realized. As much as I would like to reject your request and keep you here, I know that you will only come to resent the village even more than you already do. Very well. Yuuki Saito, you may return to Sunagakure. Just tell as few people as possible in return and leave quietly. That's all I ask in return."

Maybe this woman wasn't so bad after all.

* * *

It would take a few days longer before Yuuki was finally ready to leave the village, his belongings all packed up and carefully stored away in the extra sealing scrolls that Yuna had made for him, secured inside of the backpack he carried on his back as he met the sand siblings at the hotel they were staying at, gifting them all a small smile before falling silent as they made their way to the village gates. Yuuki's gaze immediately widened as his jaw dropped upon seeing the familiar faces that greeted him.

Yuna, Haku, Akio, Ryosuke-sensei and even Kakashi-sensei were there, waiting for his arrival.

"W-What?"

"Tsunade-sama told me what was going on while we were healing a patient in the hospital. I think she wanted to give us a chance to say goodbye to you Yuuki and we had to take it." Yuna was the first to speak as she stepped forward, that gentle gaze becoming teary before he was tugged into a tight hug. "I know that we're not technically teammates any longer but please, please take care of yourself. You've been like a brother to me for all of this time and I'll never stop seeing you as one. So be happy and stay healthy and most importantly keep in touch!"

He couldn't help but smile down at the girl that had been his first crush, gaze softening as he nodded quietly before his gaze widened as she shoved a few scrolls towards him. "I won't be there to help you with my Fūinjutsu anymore, so I wrote down the basics so you can make your own scrolls. Study hard and make me proud, okay?"

"I understand Yuna. Thank you for everything and you take care as well, okay? Stay safe and happy." When Yuna stepped away, wiping at her eyes as she tried her hardest not to cry in front of them, Haku stepped forward.

"I know that you and I have not always gotten along well, but I do hope that you find happiness on the path that you have chosen. You will be with your precious person from this point on, so become strong. Treasure him and protect him with all of your power so you have no regrets and I will do the same for mine." Yuuki's gaze met those gentle browns before hardening as he stepped closer to Haku, speaking in a low tone to ensure that only the ice user could hear his words.

"If you ever hurt her or make her cry again, I will come back from the Hidden Sand just to kick your ass just like I did in the Chunin exams. I will keep in contact with my team so I promise you, I will know. She's a sweet girl, let's keep it that way. Understand?" He would gift the ice user a small smile that only grew as Haku nodded before speaking once again. "As for Gaara, he's much stronger than I could ever be. But I will do my best to become even stronger than he is for his sake. He doesn't need me, but if I can stay by his side and prove to everyone else that I deserve to be there, that's good enough for me."

He didn't need anything else.

Haku would step back only for Akio to take his place and for a moment things were almost awkward between the two of them, the black-haired boy's gaze focused on the ground for what seemed like the longest time before he would sigh softly.

"I never thought that it would ever come to this. I never thought you of all people would leave us. Or that our time together as a team would come to an end. I know that we didn't always see eye to eye and that we didn't always get along, but you were there by my side when it mattered. You always had my back just like I always had yours and for that, I will always be thankful. I will miss you Yuuki. I will miss your dry sense of humor just like I will miss watching you get rejected by every girl you hit on. I don't know what else I can say that those two haven't already said, other than you will always be a precious comrade and a member of Team One. If you ever need my help, send for me and I will come as fast as I can. I'm sure the same goes for Yuna as well. Stay safe, my friend."

Akio then held out his hand and without a single moment's hesitation, Yuuki took it into his own before yanking his teammate forward into a hug. "I got stabbed for you jerk. You got burned for me. I think we're past the whole handshake thing by now." He couldn't help but grin as he heard Akio laugh before releasing him a moment later, watching as Ryosuke and Kakashi were the last two to step forward.

"I have to say I'm surprised that you're here Kakashi-sensei. I never thought you cared enough about us to come and say goodbye." His brow rose as he listened to the nervous chuckle that came from Kakashi, watching as the man rubbed the back of his neck nervously before speaking.

"I owe you three quite a bit. You three are good kids who looked out for and protected my students when I couldn't. You even chased after Sasuke and got hurt in the process. You three also mean the world to Ryo, even if he won't admit it. What kind of boyfriend would I be to him if I didn't come to support him in saying goodbye to one of his favorite students?" Yuuki's jaw immediately dropped when he saw Kakashi take Ryosuke's hand into his own only for his sensei to blush and try freeing himself while stuttering like mad.

"W-Wait a minute! What?! When the hell did this happen?!" His questions were drowned out by the delighted squeal that came from the female on Team One, Yuuki's gaze darting to her only to nearly fall over as he saw the girl looking far too pleased about the news they were given.

"Oh, I knew it! I knew they would end up together! Yuuki and Akio you guys owe me a thousand ryo each! I told you he wasn't dating that guy with the brown hair!" That was enough to make Akio move to quickly cover her mouth before she could reveal any other information while Yuuki moved to distract the two men.

"W-Well congratulations to the both of you! U-Um. Ryosuke-sensei. I didn't get a chance to talk to you before you left the hospital the last time we saw each other. So I'm going to tell you now what I wanted to say back then. First, even if we're no longer Team One, we're always going to be your students. Second, you're not just a teacher to me, Akio or Yuna. You've always been more than that. You cared for me and guided me when no one else would. You brought us all together and I know I don't speak just for myself, but for Yuna and Akio as well when I say this." He trailed off before moving to bow before his teacher. "Thank you for everything you've done for us up until this point. You became another father for all of us so easily, without even being asked to. For that, we're eternally grateful."

He would never be able to fully repay Ryosuke for everything he had done, but for now, hopefully, this could be enough.

"A-Ah. Y-you three." Upon hearing the soft tone of Ryosuke's voice, he could not help but look up only for him to panic as he saw the tears streaming down his former sensei's face. He was left panicking for all of a few moments before he was pulled into a tight hug by his sensei, smiling as he returned the hug. "I have always considered you, Yuna and Akio to be my children. No matter how old you guys get, it will always be that way. If you ever need me, call me and I will be by your side as soon as possible. Please stay safe Yuuki." It was then that he released him before turning his golden gaze onto Gaara.

"Don't think I've forgotten or forgiven everything you have done. I appreciate you coming to my student's side when they needed you but that doesn't mean you're completely out of the water yet. You're taking him away from us. So treat him right or we will come and take him back the first moment we can." Yuuki could not help but snicker softly as he watched Gaara getting scolded by Ryosuke, grin growing as he noticed just how flustered Gaara was getting with each passing second.

It was too funny.

* * *

The three of them would thoroughly enjoy watching Gaara getting scolded for a few moments longer before ultimately deciding it was time to start heading back to the Hidden Sand, the group of four making it a few feet away from the entrance of the Hidden Leaf before they heard a very familiar voice screaming Yuuki's name, the illusionist pausing before turning around only to end up tackled to the ground.

"YOU'RE ABANDONING THE VILLAGE TOO?! WHAT THE HELL YUUKI?! I CAN'T KEEP DEALING WITH THIS! MY HEART CAN'T TAKE IT, YOU KNOW?!" Yuuki would blink in confusion before a panting Sakura would yank a squirming Naruto off of him, Yuuki watching the bickering pair in confusion before sitting up and wincing when Sakura punched Naruto on the head.

"I told you he's not abandoning the village, you idiot! They said he's leaving to the Hidden Sand to be with Gaara! He's not becoming a missing-nin or anything Naruto! You need to pay attention to everything when someone tells you something!"

"Uh, guys? What is going on exactly?"

"And you! What exactly are you trying to pull?! Leaving without saying goodbye to Naruto and I?! Aren't we a part of Team One too?!" The moment Sakura's rage turned on him he immediately held up his hands in defense as she moved over towards him, dropping Naruto in the process before he quickly shot up, hiding behind a very amused Temari as he explained himself.

"Lady Tsunade made me promise not to tell too many people for some reason. I didn't even tell my team, she told Yuna who told everyone else, I swear." When he didn't hear Sakura yelling anymore he would peek out from behind Temari only to sigh in relief when he saw that she had calmed herself down, looking at the three of them thoughtfully before sighing.

"I understand. It still is upsetting that we almost missed you leaving but a promise is a promise. Speaking of which, do you remember the promise I made to you? Well, the next time we meet, I'll become a powerful kunoichi and I will repay the kindness you showed to me. So look forward to it, okay?"

"I will Sakura. I'll be waiting for you so don't make me wait too long, alright?"

"Yuuki." His gaze turned to Naruto the moment that he heard his name called, gaze softening as he saw the guilty look in those blues before the blonde spoke. "I never got to apologize. You got hurt and I wasn't even able to bring Sasuke back. I'm sorry I failed. But I promise I will get stronger and I will make that idiot see sense again. So please. I know I don't have any right to ask this of you, but please don't give up on him."

Those words were enough to make him sigh softly as his gaze fell upon the normally cheerful boy inwardly cursing Sasuke for causing so much trouble before he spoke. "Naruto I don't agree with Sasuke's motives or the fact that he cared so little for any of us that he still went to Orochimaru despite knowing that all of us risked our lives to find him. That being said, you've never asked me for anything. So as long as he doesn't come after Gaara or Temari and Kankuro and as long as he doesn't hurt Yuna, Akio or Ryosuke, I won't completely give up on him. Okay? So get strong and knock some sense into that idiot."

"I will, I promise!" It was with that promise and the memory of Naruto's smile that they began their journey back to the Hidden Sand.

It was going to be a long three days.


	22. Chapter 22

The heat of the sun bore down on the four ninjas as they traveled through the expanse of the desert, the blue gaze of the former hidden leaf ninja taking in each and every detail of the new scenery as though he had never seen it before, something that was apparently very amusing if the smirks that were being shot in his direction from the two oldest sand siblings were anything for him to go by.

"I don't see why you are so amazed, Yuuki. You've lived in the desert before. Besides, once we get back to Sunagakure, you will be completely surrounded by sand as far as the eye can see." Yuuki's gaze remained locked on the scenery despite Temari's words, his gaze only leaving the sand once he had formulated a proper response to her apparent criticism.

"It's been such a long time since I have seen anything other than the forest or water. I have gotten so used to a certain type of scenery so it's hard not to be appreciative of something new. All I can think about is how striking these colors would look in one of my paintings." That and there was the fact that something about the desert called to him in a way that the forests in the Land of Fire never had. Even if he had spent a large portion of his childhood in the Hidden Leaf village, it had never truly become a place that he considered to be his home.

His home had always been with Gaara, no matter how much he tried to deny it in the past.

The younger boy had held his heart in those hands of his from the first day they had met and almost as if sensing that Yuuki's thoughts were on him, that intense gaze turned to him. For a long moment, teal and blue remained locked with one another before Gaara's gaze would finally leave Yuuki's to stare ahead as he spoke softly, voice cutting through the silence of the desert.

"We are almost to the Hidden Sand. Once you have settled in you will have all of the time you would like to look at and paint the desert." A sigh left him the moment he heard Gaara's words as he slowly relented, knowing deep down that the younger boy was right. It was with a sigh that he gazed one last time at his surroundings before he shoved his hands inside of his pant pockets and moved to follow after the sand siblings, pointedly ignoring how amused Temari and Kankuro looked at the fact that he had given into Gaara without a fight.

"You two do know that I can see those smirks that you are wearing, right? I hope you both start dating soon. I will embarrass the living hell out of the both of you. I hope you two are ready for that." A smirk was directed at the two sputtering sand siblings before he quickly caught up with Gaara, knowing that he would be safe from the worst of the backlash from his teasing if he stayed close to the younger boy's side.

"W-What? W-We were just thinking how c-cute it is that you are so quick to give in to things when it comes to Gaara. It is almost like the two of you are already married despite your young age, it is really cute!" Temari's words were enough to make the purple-haired illusionist nearly choke as his cheeks darkened. As he turned to face the smirking girl, he was immediately silenced as he felt a hand grasp onto his own, the boy immediately squeaking as his cheeks darkened even further, bewildered gaze turning to meet Gaara's with a look of disbelief.

"G-Gaara?! W-Wha-"

"Everyone seems to forget that one day we truly will be married. Temari seems to be a little too amused with how our relationship works so perhaps we should act more like a couple. Married couples do hold hands do they not?" He could feel his blood pressure beginning to rise and for a moment he regretted having given in to Gaara's demand to come back to the Hidden Sand village with him so easily. Despite Gaara's attempt to phrase the statement as a question, it was apparent to him that the red-headed boy wanted to hold his hand and that he meant what he had said about acting the part.

Oh, he did not think his heart was strong enough to handle this.

"Uh, I-I respect your dedication to this Gaara b-but I d-do not think that I am ready for this. T-This is a bit sudden." A nervous laugh was torn from the illusionist as he tried to make the younger boy understand his reasoning only to be greeted with silence as a response as the younger boy tugged not so gently on his hand, letting him know that he was not going to let go until he was good and ready.

Oh god, he wasn't going to make him walk the rest of the way to the village like this, was he?!

* * *

As it turned out, the answer to the above question was a yes, he was going to make him walk the rest of the way with his hand in his.

Imagine the look of stunned silence on the face of those who guarded the entrance to Sunagakure the moment they saw the boy that everyone in the village feared all but dragging an unfamiliar purple-haired boy directly passed the two of them while the boy looked as though he wanted nothing more than to be struck down then and there to avoid being seen.

"G-Gaara, please. You have made your message loud and clear. Please do not drag me through the village like this. I will do anything you want in exchange." That seemed to give Gaara enough of a reason to pause, something that gave Yuuki a small amount of hope as his blue eyes lifted to meet the thoughtful teal.

"Anything I want?"

"As long as it is within reason."

For a long moment, Gaara remained silent as he thought over Yuuki's proposition before finally releasing Yuuki's hand from his own and for a moment, Yuuki was convinced that he was about to cry from the sheer amount of relief that came crashing down on him the moment he was free. Once he managed to compose himself a moment later, his gaze lifted to meet Gaara's with a look of complete appreciation.

"Thank you, Gaara. I appreciate it."

"Just remember your promise. I will hold you to it."

The two of them continued on into the village speaking quietly amongst each other, quickly followed by the two eldest sand siblings as they ignored the bewildered stares from the guards who stared at the strange group for the longest of moments in silence before the shock finally wore off.

"You saw that too right Koji?"

"Yes."

"So I am not crazy. The Kazekage's youngest was holding hands with a stranger that we have never seen before?"

"Do you think he kidnapped him?"

For a moment both of the adults fell silent as the thought that the purple-haired boy being a potential hostage immediately hit them and they shared a look with each other, swallowing roughly as they both glanced in the direction that the group had gone off in.

"I say we just stay quiet and if they ask, we just say that we saw nothing."

"Agreed."

* * *

"So you three are saying that on your latest mission to the Hidden Leaf that you not only managed to complete your mission but you also took it upon yourselves to bring back a Saito whose parents left our village back when he was a child? You are also saying that the Fifth Hokage just let you three take him, just like that?" The village senior's voice filled the room with a tone of complete disbelief as he read over the report that Temari had submitted, Yuuki leaning against the wall with a small sigh as he felt a headache immediately beginning to build up.

He should have known that this was going to be a pain in the ass to deal with.

"With all due respect sir. My loyalty has always belonged to the Hidden Sand because of Gaara and his siblings. I have never done a thing to betray the trust that they have placed in me. If you read my file, you will see that I have been friends with the three of them since we were all children. You will also see that I have kept in regular contact with them for all of these years. The truth of the matter is that I never considered the Hidden Leaf village to be my home and to be honest, I would have returned a lot sooner if I would have had the chance. Feel free to interrogate me, do whatever it is that you need to do but that is the Fifth Hokage's official seal on the report, stating that I was allowed to return here."

Upon hearing his words the man glanced down at the paper, scowling slightly before those brown eyes lifted to fall upon the calm illusionist, mouth immediately open to rebuff him only to be silenced as another senior spoke.

"If everything is in order, I do not see the need to prolong any of this unpleasantness. He was the son of Haruka and Raiza, two fiercely loyal shinobi who would have still been with us if Rasa would only have listened to reason. We lost two great shinobi because of his recklessness and if we listen to our paranoia, we may be losing a third if we send him away." The other village seniors fell silent at the mention of his late parents, something that made Yuuki sigh softly as his hand moved to rub at his temples as he tried his hardest to fight off his incoming migraine.

He just wanted this to be over with.

"Yuuki will be a great asset to the village. He made chunin in the exams on his very first try and he's very skilled with genjutsu." Temari interjected on his behalf, something that seemed to immediately capture their interest as he felt the weight of multiple gazes on him the moment it was revealed that he was skilled at something his clan had once been known for, something that nearly made him smirk.

They only became interested in him once it became clear that he was a Saito who was skilled in something his clan had once been known for, figures.

"I am also a sensor. I don't know if my file says anything about that, however, since I chose to keep that bit of information hidden away for the most part." He mused, brow rising as he watched the village seniors turn to look at one another and as they began discussing things silently amongst themselves once again, it was all he could do to stop himself from losing whatever small amount of patience he had left.

He never understood just why it took so long for people to make a decision when it came to things like this.

It seemed as though the gods above seemed to hear his frustrations and took pity on him, for it was a moment later that the seniors finally turned their attention back to him, clearing their throats before the one that had initially come to his defense spoke once again.

"We have decided to accept you back into the village. Starting today, you will be a ninja for the Hidden Sand village."

Oh, thank the gods.

"However-"

Shit.

"Because of the unusual circumstances regarding your upbringing and to ensure that you truly are loyal to the Hidden Sand, we have decided that you will undergo a trial period of sorts. You will not be allowed to accept any unsupervised missions under any circumstances and you will be required to stay with a jōnin of our choosing until the trial period has passed. Surely you understand why we have to do this?" Yuuki's eyes immediately narrowed as a soft sigh left him, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose as he thought about the fact that he was essentially going to be forced back into being a genin for this trial period.

The Hidden Leaf was really starting to look good right now.

"With all due respect, I think this is ridiculous. If he needs to be supervised, why not simply place him with the three of us?! We are more than capable of looking after him!" The annoyed growl that came from Kankuro was enough to make him raise his head as a small smirk slowly crossed his lips, watching as the seniors tried to gather themselves enough to form a response before he interjected.

"They think that you three are biased and will not be able to tell if I am up to something or not because you three already trust me. Either that or they just want to be sure that I'm not in any position to manipulate the three of you since you three are next in line to inherit the title of Kazekage. It does make sense, I suppose." His gaze turned back to the seniors before sighing once again as he considered what the seniors had told him, knowing that he had no choice but to accept the conditions the seniors offered to him, even if it did piss him off.

To be newly promoted only to end up having to be babysat all over again irritated him beyond all reason. Yet, once glance towards Gaara was enough to remind him that this was about more than just himself and as those teal eyes lifted to meet his own, his gaze softened as his resolve strengthened.

If it was for Gaara, then he would endure.

"I just have one question. I will not be losing my rank by agreeing to any of this will I? I just want to ensure that I will not be having to build my way back up from the genin rank after everything is said and done."

"Your rank is set in stone. While you will not be allowed to complete missions on your own without supervision, for the time being, you will be assigned missions that are suited to your rank. Depending on how the jonin assigned to watch you feels about your progress, by the end of your trial period you may even be allowed to take the Jōnin exams."

At least there was that.

"Very well. If that is what needs to be done for me to earn my place here, I guess it cannot be helped. I'll play nice and follow the rules that you guys have set for me." He paused for a moment after speaking, brow furrowing slightly the moment that he saw the pleased look on the faces of all of the village seniors before sighing once again, a part of him wondering just who it was they were going to have stuck on babysitting duty for the next few months.

He almost felt bad for the poor Jōnin.

* * *

The moment that he finally entered the apartment the village seniors had assigned to him, a soft sigh left the illusionist as he immediately fell into a chair. His head would slowly fall back, that gaze focusing on a lone spot on the ceiling of the apartment as his mind raced. All he could think about was the single name he had been given as a result of him having asked about who the unlucky soul that was supposed to be watching him for the next few months was.

Katsuji Saito.

Well, the gods certainly did have a sense of humor he supposed.

It was a strange thought that the seniors would trust a distant relative of his to supervise him, something that made him think that perhaps this person was going to be the type of person he could not see himself getting along with. While he hoped that the person would at least be somewhat tolerable and that the man would not abuse his position of power over him, the seniors were far too quick to place him under Katsuji's watch for him to feel anything other than dread. As frustrating as it already was for him to have to play nice with a relative that he had never met before, the fact that this unknown relative held his future in his hands made it almost unbearable. A strong way of pure frustration washed over the boy as he scowled up at the ceiling, annoyed with the situation that he had managed to find himself in. He hated the fact that for the foreseeable future, there was nothing he could do to help himself out of the situation he found himself in other than going along with what the village asked of him and hoping against all odds, this Katsuji would not abuse the position of authority he now had over him.

All he could hope was that this Katsuji person was tolerable enough to make these months less of a hassle.

If not, then the reminder that he was doing this for Gaara would simply have to be enough.

* * *

**So chapter 22 is now complete. I'm sorry that it took so long for me to get this out to you guys. There were many reasons why, one of the major ones being that I was trying to find an artist to commission a cover for this story. I finally found one by the name of Vani-e and I highly recommend her to anyone who might be looking for someone to commission. She's very talented and did such a great job with drawing Yuuki, I hope you guys love the cover as much as I do.**

**That being said, we're getting close to the Shippudden arc of this story, which is honestly the arc that I'm most excited for, for various reasons. I have many things planned, things which I hope you guys will love. I just want to thank all of you who have followed and favorited up to this point, it means the world to me that there are people out there who enjoy my story. **

**I especially appreciate those of you who have taken the time to post a review, thank you!**

**At any rate, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, I promise you that more things will happen. There are about two chapters left before I move onto the Shippudden arc. Is there anything that you guys are looking forward to? Anything you guys are hoping to see?**

**Until next time.**

**~ Xayden**


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